


Butterflys

by Copper_Wings



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Anakin is a force ghost, Ben and Poe are the worst wing men, Ben is force sensitive but is a big fat lier, Ben is still damaged, F/M, M/M, Past Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rating May Change, Smuggler Ben, god only knows where this might go but i have a sort of idea, papa Anakin, think timon and pumber bad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-06-02 22:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 37,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6585115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Copper_Wings/pseuds/Copper_Wings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>according to philosophers each decision we make sends us down a diffident path and that somewhere a different you is living a different life. so what if one little thing could change your whole life, a lie perhaps?</p><p>Ben Solo is force sensitive but only him, his Loth cat companion named Tookie and the ghost of his grandfather, who after years of being a specter has forgotten what personal space is, know. until a scruffy, angry scavenger and her "Rebel" friend rescue him from an angry (er) mob of scavengers who think he is a crashed rebel fighter... he is but that not the point. the two show signs of being force sensitive but are untrained, Ben himself is not "trained" per-say but he can manipulate it to his will. they turn out to also have the BB-8 unite he was sent to protect however they don't have the bots master who the real reason that Ben agreed to help the resistance instead of keeping his head low as a smuggler like his father before him. perhaps he should have taken his mother up of her threats to send him to be a moisture farmer on some desert planet some where. life might have been a lot simpler.</p><p>the story is predominantly told from Ben perspective but it dose jump around a bit in later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chrysalis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a little background into Baby Ben.

They say that for every choses you make there are thousands of others that could alter the way your life turned out. This means that there are an uncountable number of realities that exist purely to acts out these choses, confirming one and for all that the universe is a vast and messy place. Considering that every little chose you make in your day to day life creates one of these splits, the average sentient life form must create thousands of realities a day. From what they consider life changing decision to what colour socks they have on that day. This isn’t even factoring in the choses that the being can’t control such as the weather on a particularly important day or a butterfly flapping its wings. Those who can sense the movement of energy that flows through every lifeforms and allows the enter galaxy to exist, which is widely know in the highly populated part of the galaxy as “The Forces”, can feel these little shifts and splits happening. However as each being created so many of these a day these feeling become a sort of white noises at the back of the force users head. This dose create a trait that is common in children who are blessed with the forces which is a sense of wonderment with the galaxy, knowledge that there is more out there and an endless fascination with the natural world, namely butterfly and how they flap their wings.

Ben Solo is one of these children. He is five month, two weeks, three day, seven hours and twenty-two minuets old exactly and is currently exploring which flowers tasted the nicest. He is in the exercise field at his uncle’s academy. He is yet to show any outward signs of being forces sensitive but there are two blue translucent figures sitting in front of him that his babysitter (one of the older padawan who is sat a short distance away) can’t see. The field had been had been left to grow during the rainy season so the grass came up to Bens shoulder as he sat facing the taller of the two figures. The sun was warm for the season, drying up the ground. The padawan babysitter sat under a blossom tree at the edge of the field to meditate allowing Ben the whole field to play. He giggled to himself. The two blue figures where talking quietly to each other. Ben felt safe with them. The tall one who was kneeling in front of him was dressed in the same sort of robes that his uncle has but the man’s hair is longer and he as a scares above his right eye.  The man occasionally looks up at his companion and smirks but quickly looking back at Ben in the grass in front of him. he keeps the secret smile on his face as he fiddles with a flower. His companion is a beautiful young lady. She sat cross-legged in the grass her embroidered dress draped over her knees; she has flowers woven into her intricately platted hair. She smiles openly at the man. If Ben was a little older and maybe a bit more observant he might have noticed all this. However he was more interested in eating the mud in front of him, if he got lucky he got a crunch bug as well. The man wove the flowers that the lady hands him into Ben’s crown of dark brown hair making the child giggle.

The peace and tranquilly of the scenes was broken briefly by a shout form the side of the field near the main buildings. Ben jumped at the loud sound and looked around quickly; in doing so he lost his balances and fell backwards with a bump. Ben wasn’t the type of child who would cry if he fell over like that so he squirmed around in the grass till he could see where the shout had come from.  A group of younglings where walking back from one of the training rooms. One of three girls was waiving at the padawan under the tree. The padawan opened one of her eye and upon seeing who approached her, grind. She got up from her meditate stances and pushed her arms above her head to stretch her stiff muscles. When she had finished she glanced around till she spotted Ben sitting in the grass watching the girls as they started towards him across the field. She walked up to him and picked him up, he squawked in surprised. She grabed the side of her tunic and wiped him face and nose, removing most of the mud. she rubbed the mud off his little hands before settled him on her hip and walked to meeting the girls half way across the field.

“Afternoon Sails, and hello baby Benny! Ooos a cute little boy den? Aww is ooo's going to grow up as hansom as his daddy?” one of the gilds cooed as she walked up to the older girl and squeezed one of Ben’s small porgy hands. Ben gurgled a reply to the girl, she smiled at him.

“Hello Londmar, Ticchis and Arcturus,” said Sails calmly, the older girl seemed to give of a senses of calm and serenity. There is also an undercurrent of strength. “How was your training? Did you manger to do that form that you were struggling with Arcturus?” the smallest of the girls nodded enthusiastic and launched into a detailed description of her training session. As she was talking Ben looked around for the blue man and woman. They were gone. In the process of viewing the whole field Ben had crawled on to Sails shoulder and grabbed a hand full of her hair the girl didn’t flinch at all but let her head move with Bens hand then reached up and unhooked his fingers from her hair and reset him on her hip. Ben put his fingers in his mouth and looked around again this time not moving so much.

“Sails,” the third girl cut in “when Arcturus is done telling you her life story, can we come with you to watch the sabers training?” She had been listening to Arcturus’s story with a scrunched up nose and a roll of her eyes. The first girl was playing with one of Ben’s socked feet, cooing at him, completely oblivious to the rest of the conversation.

“Now Londmar, all of us have had to sit through you talk about what you have achieved. Let Arcturus have her moment to talk about her as well. And yes im sure you can come and watch, Master Wofute wants all the youngling there to start you learning the techniques and stances by watching the older padawan fight” the two girls not entranced by the baby clapped happily.

“Now I need to go get ready for practice, Ticchis?” Sails said knocking the girl out of her trances. “Can you hold Ben while im in training?”

“Of course!” Ticchis took Ben careful out of Sails arms and settled im against her shoulder. Ben complaint at the loss of height, but not much. “Me and Benny are going to watch Miss Sails beat up all the other padawans aren’t we Benny?” she cooed at the baby.

“Thankyou Ticchis see you three later in the training room, bye” Sails stated walking towards the changing rooms. The girls waved good bye, Ticchis holding Bens hand up to wave too.

The training room was a hexagon shaped room. The room had large open panels letting a cool breeze sweep through. A dark blue training mat was across the center of the hexagon. The walls had images of different races painted on them with labels naming all the muscles in there bodies. There where also images of dismantled sabers labeling the parts and their importance. The pillars that held up each corner where beautifully carved into images of animals climbing up into the large domed roof with a skylight in the center. The room was buzzing with chatter as the youngling watched the older padawans go though their warm up exercise. Ben was sat in Ticchis lap who herself was sat cross-legged on the floor beside the mat. His big brown eye jumping excitedly around at the other younglings who were arriving and getting settled in. Ben’s attention was suddenly fixed on a powder pink butterfly that had fluttered in though one of the open windows facing the exercises field they had just come from. The butterfly flew up towards the skylight and attempted to escape though the glass. His curious gaze was pulled away by a commotion at the other end of the room. The padawans on the mat had stopped there warm ups and where bowing towards the door Ben couldn’t see who was there as there where to many people and he was too small but Ticchis gasped and pulled him close to her to whisper into his hair,

“Look little Ben! It’s Master Luke! It’s your uncle!” Ben still couldn’t see or understand what Ticchis said. He wasn’t even six months old and was also more interested in removing one of his socks and throwing it at the youngling sitting next to them for no logical reason other than they were there at the time. But when a man in long grey robes walked into the room tailed by two heavily built young apprentices he recognized him as his uncle. The man carried himself with grace and seemed to carry wisdom and knowledge soaked into his cloaks. Every eye in the room was on him as he took his seat in the center of the room, a clear view of the mat in front of him. As Master Wofute lead his padawans though the last of the warm ups, Master Luke cast his eye around the room. His gases was calm and steady when it reached Ben and Ticchis it paused and for a brief second the Great Master Luke Skywalker, leader of the new Jedi order and this academy, crossed his eye and stuck out his tongue at his nephew. Ben clapped his hands and squeaked with laughter Ticchis the only other witness to this giggled also.

Master Wofute called a hush to the room a moment later he looked at a scrap of paper in his hand and called out the names of the first two Padawans who will be fighting. Ben snuggled against Ticchis; he was tired it had been a long day for him so far. His mother had left him with Sails in the morning to attend a meeting at the academy about using padawans and knights as bodyguards for senators to gain there trust. Sails had played with him in the morning then given him his lunch and put him down for a nap while she did some reading. Then she had taken him for a walk around the grounds that had ended in the exercises field where she had put him in her lap so he could nap while she meditated but he had crawled away to play with the blue people and the flowers. As he lay curled in the crook of Ticchis’s arm he could see the butterfly resting against the glass. The sound of wooden practices sabers smacking against each other filled the air as well as the cheers of the younglings watching. A few matches later he was about to dozes off when something inside him stated to feel off. Being not even a year old Ben didn’t know how to deal with this, he sat up and looked at the butterfly that had renewed its attack against the glass barrier blocking its freedom. Master Wofute voice announced the next pair of padawans. Ticchis squeaked excitedly and whispered to him,

“It’s Sails turn now Benny we need to cheer really loud for her, Okay!” Ben just murmured and pulled himself upright as Sails stepped out onto the mat she took the saber out of the last padawans hand congratulating them on a good fight. she then stood in her battle stances. Her competitor was a black haired youth didn’t so much walk onto the mat but strut. He snatched the saber off the padawan spinning it around his hand with a cocky grin on his face. Ben didn’t see the start of the match he glanced upwards towards the butterfly. It had gotten its self-caught in strand of web form a spider’s web in the corner of the roof. The more the butterfly struggled the more entangled it got pulling it closer toward the main web. He heard the clash of the wooden sabers and the odd feeling got stronger. He whimpered and snuggled closer to Ticchis who rubbed his back halfheartedly she was engrossed in the fight. He looked at the two padawans going at each other; he saw the grin on the boy’s face be wiped when Sails used one of his strikes against him to knock him on his bum the grin was replaced with a sneer and a sense of darkness stated to coil around the boy as he attacked Sails with renewed strength. Ben noticed his uncle sit up and watch the boy closely. If Ben was older he would have taken comfort that he wasn't the only one who felt the blackness, no one apart from him and his uncle has seemed to notices it. Ben looked up at the butterfly again it was being drawn closer to the spider’s web. The spider its self was sitting in the center waiting for the butterfly to stop moving so it could strike. Ben looked back at the fight and the feeling made his stomach flip before he turned and pressed his head into Ticchis shoulder he saw the boy change his stances.

Then it happened. In one world the boy didn’t change his footing and was able to avoid the next attack and the following events didn’t happen. However they have to happen somewhere, why not here?

Sails hadn’t seen the boy change his stances, so she fully expected him to be able to doge this next attack allowing her to get behind him. However when she brought her sabers down towards his face his feet where to far apart to be moved without him falling again so he didn’t move, but he didn’t move his sabers up in time ether. Sails wooden sabers connected with the bridge of the boys noses with a crack. The sound made Ben squeak he hid his head against Ticchis. After a moment he peeked up at the butterfly, the frantic flapping on its wings had mangers to break the old stings of web and the butterfly quickly disappeared out the window it came. Back on the mat the boy was cursing the air blue he held his bleeding nose in both hands Sail dropped her sabers and rushed forward to help him. The darkness that surrounded the boy was now palatable. Ben he saw his uncle narrow his eyes and move to get up but he was not quick enough. The boy shot out a hand towards Sails stopping her apology in her throat; she was thrown backwards into one of the pillars. Master Luke stood up and shouted something but Ben couldn’t hear it over the commotion so he did the only thing he could do at that moment. Ben screamed. He screamed and cried even after Ticchis got him out of the training room. He didn’t stop crying till he was handed back to his mother where he dials it down to just sniveling. He didn’t full calm down till he was finally put in his crib. He could hear his mother and uncle loudly “discussing” what had happened that day. It was around this time that the voice normal appeared it would tell him horrible thing about is parents that the small child didn’t really understand. Tonight however it focused on the power the boy at the fight had and how if Ben listened to it then he too could have such power. Ben didn’t want anything that could hurt Sails the way the boy did so he did what all children do to things they don’t like. Pushed it way. So he pushed the voice away. The silences that followed was loaded but the voices didn’t return. A soft hum filled the room. From his crib Ben couldn’t see much of the rest of the room but a senses of safety came over him as a blue hand descended into his crib to tickle his tummy. He giggled. The figure sighed softly,

“Hello Benny boy,” he said stroking Ben’s hair out of his face. “aren't you a clever boy. so young but strong enough to push away the darkness. such a brave boy too,” the blue figure cooed at the giggling child.

“I think… I think we should keep your relationship with the forces between us for a bit, yeah? Just so no one try’s to uses you… I like I was used… “ignorance is bliss” is the saying and ignorance will also keep you safe little Benny,” he smiled down at the baby Ben laughed at the man.

“Okay, I'm going to show you a way to keep people out of your cute little head. I will keep the walls up till you learn to do it yourself little one,” a blue hand reached into the crib and touched the child’s forehead. Ben little porgy hands reached up and tied to grab it, they fazed right through it.

“This is our little secret, okay little one.” The baby gurgled back

And thus beings the biggest lie in Ben Solos life


	2. Frendly Little Caterpillars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben liked to talk fast. He would use big words and refer to his captors as Sir or Mam, it would confuse people and not let them get a word in edge ways, the aim was that they would just give up and agree. this didn't always work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i felt bad for promising a smuggler AU in the description on the first chapter is just about baby Benny. but i wanted to give a bit of background and baby Benny is just so cute to write :)
> 
> still looking for a beta reader, if you are interested please message me. i am severely dyslexic and would dearly like someone to spell and grammar check my work, also someone to help bounces ideas around :)

Ben Solo was considering the chain of event that had lead him to his current predicament. It was a habit of his that in the down time between his captures beating information out of him and his enviable escape he would considered the options he had been faced with and what other outcomes there might have been. it fought off boredom and gave his brain some warm up exercises before coming up with an escape plan. His life as a smuggler, pirate and general low life of the galaxy had landed him in similar situations to the one he was in now. It wasn’t a common occurrence but it happened offend enough that he considered them a mild inconveniences now. He was currently hanging upside down from a pole in the center of a desert outpost on Jakku. A slight desert wind blew knocking him lightly against the pole with a quite pinging sound. Ben was pretending to be unconscious however if he stayed like this for much longer this might become fact. His mouth was dry and full of sand; his broken noses forced him to breathe though his mouth drying it out even more. He had been dragged into the outpost behind a luggerbeast. The scavenger who had attacked him had hollered about having caught the resistance pilot. He had then paraded Ben around the quad below the pole he was now strung up on, to a jeering crowd of scavengers and desert dwellers. But before being left to the elements a fat blubber fish of a being had plodded up, called him rebel scum and spat in his face as a way of greeting. Ben had been around the galaxy and had better and worse greeting so he did what he normally did in these situations. He lifted his bound hands and wiped the spit off his face and grinned,

“and good afternoon to you sir” he said to the fat man who had turned to the smaller scavenger, the one who had dragged him in. the man glared at him again then, moving quickly for such a fat man, he pulled his arm back and punched Ben hard in the nose. He heard the soft tissue crunch; blood began to poor out of it as he stumbled backwards form the force of the blow. The man followed him grabbing him by his throat and lifting him up,

“Where is your droid, rebel?”  The man said spitting as he spoke,

“I have no idea what you’re talking about sir,” Ben squeaked. It may have been smoother if the lump of lard didn’t have his fat fingers pressed into his throat. The man bearded his teeth at Ben before throwing him backward against the pole in the center of the quad.

“Making friends, Ben?” said a voice. The world spun from hitting his head on the pole but Ben recognized the voice and chuckled. The fat man was talking to the scavenger again so Ben pretended to slip into unconsciousness letting his head slump against his chest and his arms go limp. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the translucent blue figure sitting next to him,

“As always gramps,” he whispered under his breath. It was about this time that the scavenger finished his convictions with the fat man letting him wobbled back to whatever hell pit he spawned from. The scrawny thing scurried back towards Ben and quickly looped rope around his legs, probably worried that he would fight back. He could but he had learnt long ago that violence just leads to more problems. He stayed still letting the man think he was still out as he was hoisted up the pole.

He had been up there for an hour maybe, but it felt like years. The hot sun was making him sweat and in the sandy warping of his dearest gear there was some uncomfortable chafing going on. The only blessing was the soft breezes form being so high up. His grandfather was sat at the bottom of the pole occasionally making remarks about the people who walked by and couldn’t see him. he had blocked out his grandfathers constant narration on his life long ago, it was like having your conscience walk beside you and glow slightly. it was useful having a second pair of eyes that could move and see things that Ben hadn't or couldn't see. they had gotten out of some really bad situations because of it. Ben had gotten the lecture about how much his grandfather hated sand as they had descended onto the planet, so he was thankful that there wasn’t a repeat. Ben new he had to think of something quickly as he could feel the darkness slowly crawling into his vision he was examining his bound hands careful so that he didn’t draw attention to himself when his grandfather stood up,

“There are two people over there watching you.” He said taking a few steps forward. His steps did not leaving footprints in the sand or disturbing it at all as he moved. “There is a droid with them. It looks like the one your friend has, but it seems to be covered in mud.” Ben considered answering verbally instead of focusing of getting his hands free. Before he could his grandfather said “there are coming this way.” Ben did his best impressions of a harmless body hanging in the wind.

“So do you recognize him?” questioned a female voice.

“I…err,” said a less confident male voice. The shrill squeaking of the droid that his grandfather had mentioned cut him off saying that it recognized Ben. Ben also recognized the tone as the droid that flies with his friend. The friend he had been sent to retrieve. He was relieved that the droid was safe but it raised other questions like where was its master. Where was Poe?

“BB-8 said that he is part of the resistance.” Said the female voice. Ben liked to think he knew women. He knew that was a loaded question. He mentally shouted at the guy to be careful with how he answered it.

“There are so many new faces at the base all the time. It’s hard to keep track of who is who, so he might be.” the man said he sounded stressed. Good man! Ben thought. He hears BB-8 roll closer to the pole chirping sarcastically *yeah, yeah of course you do mate* the bot doesn’t seem to like the male voice.

“Should we cut him down? He might have a ship that you could escape in.” the female voice sounded closer. She was probably standing underneath the pole looking up at him. BB-8 beeps its agreement but the man doesn’t seem so sure.

“Well, err, I don’t know he may be a deserter or a spy!” the man seems to be grasping at straws and Ben feels sorry for him.

“Well that is your problems not mine. I’m doing it” Ben doesn’t have time to process that last bit as the rope holding him up suddenly goes slack and he hits the ground with a thump and a groan. Before he can make a move his grandfather shouts in a voice only he can hear “Play dead Ben! She is armed!”  He lets his body go limp as hot metal is pressed against his back, the presser is too large to be a barrel of a gun but it is still circular. A staff perhaps or the butt of a poorly constructed knife. he doesn't move for a moment, the pressure lifts his attacker thinks that he isn't going to move soon. With the head rush that Ben feels he had to agree. He feels hands under his arms.

“Help me.” The female voice says as she tries to drag Ben. He feels his feet be picked up by presumably the man. BB-8 beeps happily beside him. A few minutes later Ben is sat up against a cool surface out of the sun. He can still hear the people in the outpost so they can’t have gone far. BB-8 bumps against his leg affectingly.

“Okay, you two stay here I need to go and sell some stuff. Hopefully we can get this sorted out when I get back.” The female voices sounded annoyed as she stood up to leave. BB-8 stated to roll after her. “I said stay here.” The bot beeped a reply that Ben couldn’t hear, “you’re just going to keep following me even if I say no, aren’t you” it beeped a yes. “Fine, but stay close.” Ben waited till the sound of BB-8 beeping had faded, then he waited a bit longer to be sure. The man who was squatting next to him was breathing heavily he was whispering to himself.

“It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to get of this hell of a planet and out of this system. Just need to hang on a little longer.” Ben opened his eye and looked at the man. He was dark skinned and clasping a blaster pistol between his hands resting it against his forehead. He is shacking slightly. Ben recognized the jacket he was wearing, it was Poe’s jacket. Poe Dameron, the friend he had come to help. He had to suppress the urge to pick him up on it. But he could see the man was scared and armed so he had to be treated carefully.

“What will you do when you do get out of here?” Ben whispered so he didn’t startle him. The man didn’t even flinch probably thinking the question came from his own mind,

“I don’t know. Hide maybe. Hide for a long time till all this blows over.”

“Okay, better question: why are you pretending to be a rebel?” Ben said in the same tone but it didn’t work this time. The man spun round knocking himself of balance in the process. He fell onto his back and scrabbled backwards pointing the blaster at Ben, it wobbled in his hand.

“What? How? Who? Umm, umm!” the man was panicking with a gun pointed at him. Ben froze up. He looked closely at the gun to find that it wasn’t loaded. He relaxed but that only made the man more on edge.

“Okay, okay, I just want to know what’s going on. Let’s start with your name. Okay?” Ben brought his writs up to his face and stated biting at the knot that tied them. The man was still shaking but he replied,

“Finn, my name is Finn.” He stuttered. Ben spat out a mouth full of fibers he had pulled from his bindings and said “Hi Finn, I’m Ben. How did you get here Finn?” then returned to his work.

“I crashed in a ship.” He said bluntly. Ben had worked the knot loose and wriggled his hands free of the rope. He adjusted the bands and charm bracelets that had protected his skin on his wrists from being rubbed before leaning down to work on the rope around his ankles.

“Okay, were where you coming from? And might I add that is a nice jacket you have there. It looks like one a friend of mine has.” At that the dam broke. Finn started spilling his guts about what had happened. He confesses that he was a Stormtrooper. He confessed that he helped break Poe out of prison. He confessed that he had stolen a tie fighter with him and helped fly it out of the ship. He told Ben about how Poe had given him his name. He also said that after they crashed he tried to rescues Poe form the wreck but only got hold of his jacket before the ship sunk in “the sand-sink-hole-thing”. Ben had paused from working on the knots to watch his melt down. when Finn had recounted the crash and what happen to Poe, Ben had to swallow the lump of sadness that had lodged its self in his throat. he rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands as Finn continued his story. When Finn had finished he was breathing heavily and holding his head in his hands.

“It’s okay mate. Breath, just breath for a bit alright. If Poe considers you a friend, you are a friend to me.” He patted him on his shoulder. Finn looks up at Ben and gives him a half-hearted smile.

“Really?” he asked

“Of course. And you can be part of the resistance too if you like. Why where you pretending you were again?” the smile on Finns face dropped, he crept a little closer looking about incase someone heard them.

“Umm, the girl I was with is trying to help the ball droid. It recognized the jacket as well and accused me of stealing it. I panicked and said I was from the resistance but I don’t think the droid brought it.”

“It didn’t.”

“ahh, umm. When we saw you hanging there she suggested helping you.” He finished just as Ben freed his feet.

“Well, you seemed to have dug yourself quite a hole there. Okay I’m going to help you as I have lied myself into worse situations so I know what you are going through. When your young lady comes back we are going to do a little theater for her,” he said waving his hands dramatically. Finn just looked more confused. Shaking his head Ben continued, “Look, when she gets back I am going to pretend to wake up and recognize you but you are just going to have to play along, okay? Then me, you and BB can get on my ship and fly off this “hell planet" as you said, got that?” Finn nodded eagerly.

“Someone’s eager to please.”  Ben ignores the voice of his grandfather. The blue man was crouching behind Finn listening to the convocation. Years of dealing with the ghost and his tendency to comment on the affairs of the living, had trained Ben not to flinch at his sudden appearances and disembodied comments.

Shouting came from inside the outpost disrupting the conviction between the two men. The girl was running towards them BB-8 screeching on her heels two people where on the floor behind her. One was holding a net.


	3. The Grinning Cat-erpillars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben uses his charms on Rey. they don't work.

Finn stood up suddenly and spun around to look in the direction of the shouting. Ben did his impression of a ragdoll. The girl and the droid sped round the corner. Her staff in her hand ready to uses, she skidded to a stop the dust.

“Have you woken him up yet?” she spluttered spinning towards the slumped figure of Ben.

“I, err”

“We don’t have time.” Before Ben could react her metal staff was brought down on his head with a crack. He yelped and grabbed his head pulling it between his knees. He already had a head ache from being upside-down for so long, now it was worse. he heard his grandfather cackling.

“OWW! What was that for?” he didn’t have to play up the annoyance in his voice; he looked up at his attacker. She wore yellowing white robes common in desert dwellers, she also had her hair pulled back in what Ben thought where three buns but the angle he was looking at her he couldn’t tell for sure. She had a cute face it didn’t have an angry scowl plastered on it. she was tanned and freckled from years working in the sun.  Finn was standing behind her right shoulder. He looked more scared than normal. Ben had to school his features to look shocked. “Finn?” he asked. The man’s eye where shocked for a moment but then realization dawned.

“Hi, err, Ben.” He stammered

“Finn! What are you doing here? I was told only Poe was here,” Ben played up the surprised act. He motioned towards BB-8 “and you found BB!” the droid who had been watching the conversation, with an impressively confused look on a face that had no features to let it show emotions. It cooed in confusion.

“Actually it was Rey who found BB-8” he motioned to the girl in front of him. She was looking around incase anyone else tried to kidnap BB-8 she seemed to be as mush on edge as Finn.

“We really don’t have time for this; someone is trying to kidnap your droid. We need to get it on your ship as soon as possible. Where is it?” Ben got wobbly to his feet and looked around. They were behind one of the outer wall of the outpost. He slowly spun looking for anything that he recognized. His grandfather stood leaning against the wall to his left,

“It’s over there,” he says pointing over his shoulder towards a dune that looked like every other one in the other direction. He trusted his grandfather’s word but the ghost did tend to play the odd practical joke or miss direction. He raised an eyebrow at the man, “It’s true!” he said “I watched you being dragged all the way, it was most entertain,” a grin spread cross his blue face.

“HEY!” fingers snapped in his face. Rey was roughly a head smaller than him but that didn’t worried her she stood in front of him glaring. “We need to get moving, someone is still after your bot so I will say it again. WHERE is your ship?”

“About fifty minutes drag by luggerbeast in that direction.” He pointed towards where his grandfather was standing but the figure had disappeared. This didn’t bother Ben it happened a lot.

“We better get moving then,” she spun and took off in the direction he was pointing, BB-8 at her heels. Finn opened his mouth a few times then closed it and jogged after Rey. Ben leaned against the wall he was dizzy from standing up. He pulled a water skin out from under his robe. It had been strapped to his side so when he had been hanging it hadn’t fallen off. He also had the two blasters; one is on his hip, the other tucked into the back of his trousers. He took a swig from the skin. The water was warm but it was heavenly as it filled his dry mouth. He careful pored a little water into his hand. He rubbed it over his face it washed off the worst of blood from his noses. His noses throbbed. His head throbbed. BB-8 rolled up to him and beeped quizzically,

“Yeah I’m coming.” He looked up at the couple stood at the bottom of a dune, they were arguing. He plasters his grin back on his face and took an experimental few steps in their direction. He was a little wobbly the first two by manged to get his signature swagger back after that. He reached Finn and Rey, BB-8 chirped and rolled round all three. Rey put her staff on her back and turned to Ben,

“Good luck,” she said and turns squatted down to the droid “look after yourself okay.” She said rubbing some of the mud off him droids head.  BB-8 squeaked and chirped trying to convince her to come with them. “I can’t, I have to stay,” Ben watched the exchange while Finn looked around worried.

“Why don’t you come with us?” Ben asked. Rey stood up quickly, she was guarded.

“None of your business.”  She snapped. Ben knew that he shouldn’t pry if he wanted her on his side. He was going to have to work at this from a different angel; she does seem to be more comfortable talking to BB-8. Maybe using BB could get her on his side,

“I mean, why don’t you come with us, just to my ship. For all you know we could just walk over that dune till we are out of sight, then drag the droid back to that fat blubber fish of a being here and collect the reward.” She tensed and grabbed her staff.

“You better not.” She said through her teeth. Ben backed up and raised his hands; Finn groped at him his eyes wide and worried. Ben didn’t pay him any attention,

“Well if you come with us you can protect the bot from being kidnapped on the way,” Ben flashed his trademark grin. Rey looked him up and down glaring. She turned and walked in the direction of his ship. BB-8 squeaked in delight and zoomed after her. Ben chuckled and clapped the gaping Finn on the shoulder.

“That my man is how you talk a woman into something. Uses there interested against them.”

"but that deceitful!" Finn said looking confused, Ben laughed again and followed Rey.

* * *

 

Roughly two hours later Ben is relieved to see the glint of his sliver ship. The heat had made his headache even worse it is bordering on a migraine now. Finn didn’t seem much better it was only Rey who wasn’t suffering in the heat. BB-8, being robotic, didn’t count. They stood on top of a dune looking down at the ship it was a sleek and silver. It looked slightly like a slightly like a mutilated boomerang. It was originally a J-type star skiff but Ben had tinkered with it so much that it only really had the shell of a J-type but the engine of a much more powerful ship. A slight shimmer surrounded the ship. To anyone else other than Ben they would think it just heat coming of the shiny surfaces. In fact it was a bubble shield that prevented anyone other than Ben, who held the deactivator, to enter. As the trio reached the bottom of the dune he raised his hand,

“Wait here,” he said getting confused looks form both of them. He walked towards the shield and pulled the deactivator out of his buttoned pocket. He held the device in his palm and held it towards the side of the shield which popped like a bubble retreating away from the devices. He pulled his hand back and fiddled with the devices as he looked over his shoulder. “Okay, its safe now.” He shouted. BB-8 whistled as it rolled down the dune towards his ship, Rey was close behind him. Finn had been having trouble navigation the continuously shifting surfers opiated to slide down the dune. A choses that Ben was sure he would regret later when he finds that sand can get everywhere.

“That is impressive, what is that thing?” Ray asked as she drew near. BB-8 just continued on towards where the ship would drop its ramp.  She was fascinated by the device in his hand,

“The patented “bubble shield” to protect all your most precious vehicle even in the roughest of planets,” Ben said doing his best impression of a sales man from a holovid. He threw the little deactivator in the air and caught it giving Rey another grin. She just looked at him like he was crazy and walked to stand next to BB-8. Ben shrugged and walked up to the control panel on the side of the ship. He typed in the codes to lower the ramp as Finn jogged up. The ramp opened with a hiss. Ben walked up the ramp first. The air inside the ship was pleasantly air-conditioned he pulled off the robes that he had been wearing to protect him from the sun and dumped them on the floor near his bunk room to pick up later. He was left in his baggy pirate shirt and trousers in the ordeal he had been though at the outpost he had lost the tie that held back his hair, it was a mess of black curls at the moment. He pulled another tie from his wrist with his teeth as he walked towards the cockpit. He pulled his hair back into is customary little ponytail as he jumped up the stairs to enter the small room. His coat was hung over the back of the pilots’ chair. It was navy blue and had gold trimming. The buttons where metal, they had once been painted gold but had been scratched and worn over the years till the dull silver shows through. The coat was his identity. When he was wearing it he was Ben Solo son of the legendary Hans Solo and twice as notorious. He would wear the coat to meeting with clients. Although old the coat was heavy, thick and second hand, it could hide guns inside it and other items. Ben had masters the trick of making an item appear form inside his coat like magic. When he took the coat off he could be whoever he wanted. He could be plain old Ben. No expectations due to his second name. It was very freeing especially after a long period wearing the coat.

Rey and Finn had followed him up into the cockpit. Rey was looking around with wide eyes.

“You have two imperial class Iro jet engines on this thing!” she said bewildered

“Three, three actually. The third is in the middle where the center cargo hold used to be. Now there are just the two sides holds but they do,” Ben said leaning over the seat to fiddle with the controls, a screen flared to life displaying data. She looked at him with excitement in her eyes.

“THREE? That’s enough to power an imperial destroyer! Why do you need all that power?” she walked forward to look over his shoulder at the data but something growled from under the pilot seat. Rey jumped back and Finn who had been examining the panels on the opposite walls spun around. They both scooted back from the seat when the coat moves. Ben who had been engrossed in the readout on the screen notices his companions fear and stood up strait just in time to catch the bottom of his coat jump towards them. He grabbed the lump before it got close to Finn who appeared to be its intended target. The lump struggled slightly but when he picked it up and stated to untangle it from the coat it calmed,

“Tookie you stupid creator, what have you done,” he cooed to the lump finally unhooking long back claws from the fabric of the coat reviling a sand coloured Loth Cat. The animal purred and bumped its head against Ben's chin then crawled up onto his shoulder. Finn and Rey looked on horrified. Tookie growled at Finn from his perch. He seemed to ignore Rey completely. Ben looked up at his companions,

“oh yes, introductions,” he raised a hand to scratch the Loth Cats chin and continued motioning between the cat and Finn then the cat and Rey,

“Tookie this is Finn, Finn this is Tookie. Rey this is Tookie, Tookie this is Rey. Tookie is my pet and guard animal.” The animal settled down on Ben's shoulder and letting Finn and Rey relax to. Ben smile and turned back to the data on the screen. “His hobbies include homicide and torture involving anything small and squeaky,”


	4. Spreading Their Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben like to go fast. Finn, not so much.  
> Ben and co go on a Poe hunt. they going to catch a hot one.

Rey sidled round Ben giving him a wide berth. Tookie didn’t pay her any attention, his body was draped over Ben's shoulders, his tail wrapping around his neck. The animal purred gently,

“But THREE Iro jet engines, how does this ship not shack its self to piece when going at full speed or just explode?” she leaded over the console examining the Frankenstein like controls she ran her hand over them. She squinted at large button it had letters carved into it. Rey would no admit it to anyone but she couldn’t read very well. Ben glanced at her he noticed her confusion “the hard way” he read with a grin “it’s the button for the guns,” She glared at him a sight embarrassed blush rising on her cheeks. He coughed and turned back to the screen and continued,

“I never fire all three when inside an atmosphere or as you said it would explode. When flying on a planet I have two stabilizer engines on the tips of the wings” he waved in the direction of the engines. “Amazing! Umm… what are you doing?” she asked looking at the screen.  The numbers and letters that filled the screen where unintelligible to an untrained eye, Rey knew what they were. It was the type and call sign of a number of ships. Ben was scanning through them with a frown,

“I’m scanning for First Order ships, and there are a surprising amount of them in the area, it is going to be hard getting off this planet without being spotted” he heard Finn jump at the mention of the Order. Ben made a point not to look round at him however Rey glanced at him. She was about to ask him something when BB-8 started beeping frantically. He was down in the little common room below the steps up to cockpit. He was rolling back and forth in front of a beeping screen. Ben walked past Finn and jumped down the steps to look at the screen. He heard the clink of Rey following him down. Finn stood at the top of the stairs leaning against the door frame. Ben unlocked the screen reviling a radar, a dot was flashing on the screen. Tookie stood upon on Ben's shoulders and mewed at BB-8. He jumped down onto the droids head causing is to scream and roll around wildly. Ben ignored them, it wasn't the first time it had happened. The screen was showing a resistance tracking tag. Ben smiled at the id number on the tag.

“Well, well, well, you are a very hard man to kill Mr Dameron," he said with a chuckle "looks like he is heading for the outpost we just came from” he turned towards the other two. “I had a portable radar that I was following on foot, but it was taken when I was attacked about a half mile from here,” Finn was grinning madly. It was the first positive emotion Ben had seen on the man’s face. He hoped it wasn't at the idea of him getting attacked. Finn bounded down the stairs,

“What are we waiting for then?” he said exited “let’s go get him!” he started towards to entrances hatch he almost tripped over BB and Tookie who were zooming around the small space. Tookie was sitting on BB-8’s head his long claws holding him in place as the droid screeched and attempted to shack him off. Finn gave them a confused look. Ben grabbed Tookie round the waist and dumped him in the co-pilot’s chair. The animal hoped up on to the head rest and watched BB-8 from his vantage point his tail swishing behind him, a rumbling growl in his throat. BB-8 rolled behind Rey’s legs hissing at the Loth Cat.

“Hold up, why go running back into the sand for another few hours when you can fly there in less than half the time.” He waved to the ship around them. Finn grinned at him and sprinted back up the ramp and bounded up the stairs to cockpit. Ben turned to follow him but noticed Rey kneeling in front of BB-8. She was talking to the droid rubbing off the mud she had used to disguise it, it was almost all gone now. the touch was almost a caring motion, like she was comforting a child. BB-8 cooed back at her. She looked sad to see the little bot go. Ben taped her side gently with his foot, she looked up at him,

“Hey," he crouched next to her and the droid. "We are just going to the outpost we just came from. You can fly with us there then head to whatever you call home after,” she looked up at him. A small smile tugged at the side of her mouth. Possibly at the prospect of spending a little more time with the droid or perhaps getting to flying in the fast ship. He gave her a genuine smile back. A squawk came from the cockpit followed by a low growl. They looked round; Finn was flat up against the far wall in the cockpit. Tookie was crouched on top of the head rest his ears where flat on his head and his teeth where bared, his tail swished violently back and forth as he growled at Finn.

“Tookie! Finn is friend not food.” Ben walked up the step and picked up the growling Cat dropping him on the floor. He slipped into the pilots chair, Rey walked past Finn who was still glued to the wall she plopped down into the co-pilot’s chair. She leaned forward to look out the viewing window at the sandy wasteland that she called home. Ben stared prepping the ship for launch,

“Finn friend, I would garb a seat. This little baby takes off at quite a speed.” Finn scrabbled to jump into the passenger’s seat behind Rey. The ship began to hum as the engines warmed up quickly in the heat of the planet. A disgruntled growl came from between the two seats,

“Your animal is watching me.” Rey said staring down at the grumbling Loth Cat.

“You’re sitting in his normal seat.” Ben said “come here you furry sith,” he picked Tookie up and placed him on his lap. The animal curled up into a ball. Ben flicked a few more switches and the jets fired on the sides of the ship. A massive grin spread across his's face, he gland over to Rey and Finn. She had a grin to match his own, Finn just looked petrified. Ben grabbed the steering stick between his legs and pulled it back. The ship rose quickly, turning in the air. He heard Rey laugh next to him when he pushed the ship forward. They took off across the dunes fast, leaving a cloud of sand in there wake. He heard Finn swear as he was pushed back into his seat. Rey was still laughing,

“This is amazing! I bet this ship can do the Kessel Run faster than twelve parsecs!” she shouted over the engines that roared loudly in the hot air outside.

“Ten exactly!” he shouted a reply “admittedly one of my engines had exploded giving me and extra boost,” the radar in front of him beeped again he shifted the stick slightly, adjusting there root and the ship swooped round to the right.

“no way! That’s faster than Hans Solo in his ship!” she turned to look at him in disbelief,

“oh yeah, I forgot to introduce myself fully,” he stuck out a hand towards Rey “Ben Solo, smuggler, rebel and overall general git, also son of the "legendary" smuggler Hans Solo,” he smirked at her shocked face but has to quickly turn back to the controls as they went though some turbulent and the ship wobbled. Behind them, Finn whimpers. Ben looked at him; he was gripping the bottom of his chair with his eyes tightly shut. Ben laughed as the outpost came into sight he flicked a switch to slow the ship down. He turned the ship as they loomed over the site. He began to slowly descend but a group of scavengers stood below them. Ben reached above him and pulled a microphone down from a hook. He squeezed the button to turn it on,

“Get out of my way or I will blow a new crater in this crummy little planet.” His flat, even voice sounded distorted through the speaker outside the ship. he flicked a switch and outside two turret guns swung round to forces on the group. The scavengers quickly scurried inside the camp. He flicked the switch back and the turrets shut off, he turned off the microphone with a crackle of feedback placing it back on its hook. Ben landed the ship just outside the gate. He power down the engines and stood up putting Tookie on his shoulder in the process. Rey moved to follow him but noticed Finn who hadn’t seemed to have noticed the ship had landed he was still gripping the chair with his eyes shut.

“Finn?” she asked, leaning over the back of the co-pilots chairs. she moved to touch his shoulder but the man’s eyes flew open and spun to look at her,

“I’m okay,” he squeaked she was going to ask him something else but Ben called them from down the hall. Rey stood and walked down the hall, Finn followed. Ben was stood in the hall near the entrance hatch, he hadn’t opened it yet. He pushed a panel and a wall slid down reviling a wall full of guns of different types,

“If you two want to take a gun to defend yourself, you can see I have plenty to spare,” he said pulling a belt with two blasters on it. He strapped the belt around his waist. Tookie jumped from Ben’s shoulder and trotted back into the cockpit, his clawed feet click on the metal floor. The cat pulled at the coat that hung on the back of the pilot’s chair. Rey walked up to the wall and took down a blaster,

“I could get a weeks’ worth of portions for the parts in this,” she muttered to herself inspecting the weapon,

“Keep it then,” Ben said rearranging the weapons he was already wearing. He grabbed a blaster rifles from the wall and tossed it to Finn, he looked unhappy about handling a weapon. “In fact,” he pulled another blaster down and tossed it to her, she caught it. ”take that...”  She inspected the new plaster as Ben walked a little further down the corridor he squatted down and pulled on a grate in the wall it came away. He pulled a crate out, he stared rummaging through it. He pulled out three lumps of metal with wires sticking out of them he tucked them into the crook of his arm as he pushed the crate back in with his foot and replace the panel with his other hand. He carried them back to Rey and stacked them up in her arms, “…and that and that and this, I can’t keep them if we are going back to the rebel base” he said to her then whispered to himself "mum would have my head," Rey struggled to balance all the object in her arms,

“Are you sure?” she said over the mound in her arms,

“Yeah, you need some compensation from looking after BB,” she smiled at him, he smiled back. Ben liked her smile it was bright and full of sunshine. Ben shook his head and looked away he didn’t act like this normal. He would normally uses his charms if he wanted to entice a women not buy their attention with gifts. He though Rey was cute but he wasn’t interested in her that way, anyway the way Finn looked at her suggested that he did see her in that light. Ben was not a cock-blocker. Good for him though, thought Ben. Thankfully Tookie mewed from the top of the stairs. He had pulled the coat from the back of the chair and dragged it across the floor to the top of the stairs. Ben used the distraction to move away from Rey and the awkward silences that had fallen between them,

“Ahh, yes, well done Tookie, I think I will be remember in my current alter, especially by that blubber-fish of a man who hit me. This needs Ben Solo respected space pirate instead of Ben the rebel’s son,” he picked up the coat and swung it round and pulled it on it was long, Ben was 6 feet 2 and it came to his lower thigh. The coat was heavy on his shoulders he picked up Tookie and placed him on his shoulders too. He stood up strait, ran a hand over his hair smoothing the loses strands back and walked up to the hatch and typed in the code to open it,

“just stay behind me okay,” he said. Finn fell in behind him quickly. Rey was stuffing her gifts into her bag she swung the bag over her shoulder and pulled her staff off her back, she rested it on her shoulder and stood on the other side of Ben his coat was flapping around his legs in the breezes as the hatch opened. They descend the ramp with BB-8 rolling behind them.


	5. Curious Caterpillars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the next few chapter are going to be told from Rey's point of view as is more fun if you don't know what mischief Ben is think about. and it is fun writing Rey's opinion. she may grow more in character in the next chapter but i wanted to introduces her thoughtful way of thinking first before showing her sarcastic side.

Rey stood behind Ben Solo. She still hadn’t fully comprehended the fact that Hans Solo’s son was stood in front of her. He looked more like the son of a smuggler now or a generic pirate with that coat on and that animal stood on his shoulder. The change had been almost instant. He had gone from friendly, mischievous rouge Ben, to the tall, sharply dressed smuggler Ben Solo. It was the coat, Rey thought; He adopts a different personality when wearing it. She looked over at Finn who was holding the rifle across his chest almost subconsciously, his knuckles where white from his grip. His eyes where scared and glued forward, he held himself stiffly almost marching down the ramp. He must have been military trained before join the resistance or they were more professional than Rey thought. The ramp landed on the sand with a thud blowing a cloud of sand into the air. Ben stopped at the bottom of the ramp, Finn stopped in formation behind him. Rey shifted her staff to rest on the ramp beside her. She stiffened and the grip on her staff increased when she saw the fat bulbous form that waddled out of the outpost the meet them.

“That was quite an entrances captain,” The Blobfish named Unkar Plutt laughed. Two of his thugs had accompanied him on one of his rare trips away from his little booth; they stood on either side of their boss as he greeted Ben. Ben saunter towards the other man shrugging, his cocky grin on his face,

“What good is an entrance if not eye catching?” Finn followed Ben down keeping behind him as a subtle threat. Rey walked down slower trying not to catch Unkar’s attention. Unkar looked Ben up and down, he seemed to be adding up how much he could get for all of Bens clothes and weapons.

“Well let me be the first to welcome you and your crew to the Niima Outpost. I am Unkar Plutt and I hope we can do good business together,” the fat man placed his fist across his chest and bowed towards Ben. Ben mimicked his movements. Tookie mewed as he was unbalanced but didn’t fall of Bens shoulders

“Thank you sir, I shall view this intriguing facility first and then we can disuse any possible business deals,” he motioned to the outpost behind them. It was coming up for late afternoon so the outpost was at its busiest. scavengers and traders scuttled in and out of the shaded awning and tents. The air was filled with the squeaking and buzzing of ships being processed as well as the chatter of the scavengers. Grunts and snorts of the luggerbeast at the watering hole, not far from where Ben had landed the ship, could be heard too. Ben began to walk beside Unkar back into the quad ironically where he had been hanging a few hours before. Rey hadn’t questions Bens broken nose that had gone blocky blue on the trip to his ship, but from past experiences she could recognise Unkar Plutt work. She wondered how the disgusting fish didn’t recognise the man he had beaten up then hung out to die. She concluded that it was the Coat, again. It changed Ben into a different person just by altering the way he walked and held himself, it was like magic but Rey didn’t believe in that. They walked towards the biggest awning-tent-thing that was known by the locales as the connection stand. It was also the pit that Unkar Plutt called home,

“Unfortunate young sir, this is where I have to leave you. I must return to my good work handing out rations to these poor, unfortunate soles that find themselves trapped here. It is the least I can do to help,” the man clasped his hand in front of him as he spoke. Rey nearly smacked him with her staff at his words. Making out that he is doing charitable work when in reality he is working people to the bone for less and less positions every day, it made her blood boil. She bit the side of her mouth she didn’t want to draw attention to herself, that could end very badly.

“But if you wish to talk business, I will be in the booth just though there,” he continued pointing inside the awning. Ben replied the bow from earlier and said,

“Thankyou again sir, I shall find you if I have any offers.”  Unkar bowed again and turned to waddle back to his hole, his thugs on his heels. Rey caught up with Finn and Ben. Finn was still stood ramrod straight griping his gun for dear life. Ben patted him of the shoulder that seemed to knock some of the stress out of him but there was still a lot pent up in the man’s shoulders. Tookie dozed in the heat draped over Ben’s shoulders like an expensive scarf. BB-8 had stuck to her side to avoid being seen as well. Ben turned to the other two,

“Right, the tracker said that Poe is heading in this direction. He should be here in the next half hour if he is not already here. I suggest we split up to look for him,” Ben’s voice had returned to the calm and assertive, with the undertone of mischief that Rey was starting to like. He was mostly addressing Finn when he talked but BB was listening intently to his words probably eager to find his master. Rey was going to miss this little group after they escaped. She liked the change is her normal dull routine. She was also staring to like being around these people and droids. Growing up in this inhospitable waist land made her very jumpy around people but she felt almost safe with these, it was worrying. Maybe it was good that they were leaving soon she was staring to trust people again and that could be damaging to her health on Jakku,

“Finn you head over to the scrap yard and patrol around there. We will meet back by the watering hole in around an hour. Head straight there, if you find him.” Finn nodded and turned to jog off but paused and turned to Rey. She watched him cautiously. She didn’t expect him to dart forward and wrap his arms around her. She squeaked as he squeezed her, she was half a second away from pushing him away and assaulting him with her staff when he said,

“Thank you for your help Rey,” the statement was so sincere that Rey didn’t know what to say. He released her and jogged toward the sound of ships being pulled apart. Ben stood with his arms crossed over his chest he was grinning at the exchange,

“I’m guessing by your shocked face, you’re not a hugger,” he said over his grin. Rey glade at him, he just laughed.

“BB you’re with me. But I would say goodbye to Rey first” Ben said to the droid that beeped sadly and rolled up to Rey’s leg. Rey sighed, her head was telling her to say goodbye to the little droid and get away from these people before she gets in trouble. But she also wanted to see this through to the end. She scratched her forehead and said,

“I could help you look for your friend, if you want. I know most of the traders and where they come from. I could help,” she didn’t make eye contact with Ben as she spoke. BB beeped excitedly rolling back and forth on the spot. She heard Ben chuckle,

“Your help will be much appreciated, Rey,” he said with a smile not a grin, she smiled back. She liked his grin, it was cheeky and full of mischief, but his smile warmed her heart. She shook her head trying to get these dangerous thoughts out of her head. She distracted herself by saying,

“I need to go and trade in these and then I will take you to where the traders gather.” She patted her bag indicating the gift he had given her.

“Ok I’m going to have a look around Unkar’s little operation while you do that.” They started walking towards the large awning together. Rey was still sore about how Unkar had passed himself off to Ben. She hoped that Ben was a better judge of character than believing that Blobfish,

“You know he is essentially a slave driver.” Bens head spun towards her disturbing the sleeping Tookie who mewed his annoyance,

“WHAT!” he said his tone shocked her,

“The idea behind the outpost is us scavengers collect parts and scrape from the wreckers in the desert then we take them to Unkar Plutt who gives us food rations for them. However he’s giving less and less positions for scrap everyday making us find more scrap for him just to live. It’s not like he is running out of rations, he gets a large shipment every week so he is just getting greedy. ” She said quickly trying to not anger him further but not down playing the horrid reality of her situation. She didn’t look him in the eye; she just kept her eyes in the direction they were walking. She could feel Bens eye on her.

“Why don’t you leav…Oh yeah, that’s none of my business,” he looked down at his feet thinking. “That arch back at the entrances, it looks like it’s written in Huttese. Do the Hutt’s own this place?” he nodded toward the large decorative entrances arch. Rey had never given it much though; she wasn’t going to admit that she had no idea what a Hutt was. She looked down trying to think. Ben continued,

“They are quite hard to miss, they are Big and slug like, amazing business men and come in every shade if bastard you can think of. If Unkar is skimping on the rations and pocketing the savings he would be in big trouble if the Hutt’s find out.” His grin was back and Rey had a feeling she didn’t want to know what he was planning. They entered the awning it was dark inside with sunrays cutting through the gaps the fabric that made up the roof. The walls where made of blocks of concrete wires hung from them in tangled knots. There was a concrete floor but it was still covered in sand. The noises from outside was muffled, the few people inside the building spoke is hushed tones. There was a queue in front of Unkar’s window. Scavengers dragging sacks full of scrap as the queue moved. Rey walked over to join the queue opening her bag to check the contenders moving the meatal lumps to the top. She decided to keep the guns for now; she would put them in her stash of emergences stores when she got back to her home. Ben had wondered off behind Unkar’s stand. BB-8 had followed him closely, cautiously looking around. Rey was examining one of the metal lumps as she shuffled forwards in the queue. There were a dozen or more people in front of her so she had some time to think before she had to talk to The Blobfish. She let her mind wonder. She thought about Ben, he walked with a sense of purpose and always seemed to be planning his next move. He had a mischievous air about him that made her want to stick around just to see what he would do next. However he seemed troubled about something, something internal. She wouldn’t ask him about it for one she had only just met him and will never see him again when they left, secondly he didn’t pry about why she wouldn’t leave this scrap plie of a planet. Her thoughts turned to Finn as the line shuffled forward. He was sweet; he was very nervous, scared and seemed infinity more troubled than Ben. She knew He would jump at his own shadow, just from spending a short amount of time with him. He was friendly and Rey felt like she wanted to get to know him better but she was sure the thing that was haunting him would cause him problems. She was surprised to find herself worried about the mental health of a stranger she had met only a few hours ago. He was a very brave man, the state he was in and he still left the safety of the resistance base to help find his friend, without backup she thought, as Ben had been shocked to see him her suggestion that he had left without telling anybody. Rey wished she has a friend that loyal.

Rey was pulled from her thoughts by a familiar voice ahead of her. She looked up and saw Ben. He was leaning against the side of Unkar’s window he had lost his coat, Tookie and BB where no wear to be see. He hadn’t been robes as he still had all his weapons. His baggy white shirt had the arms rolled up it was pulled in at his waist by his weapons belt. He had pulled his hair out of its band and pulled his fringe over to one side, the hair now hung slightly over his eyes. A red stick stuck out the side of his mouth; he seemed to be chewing on it. Rey didn’t hear what he had said but it seemed to have irritated Unkar as the fish man was grumpily replied,

“What happened to your nose pirate,” Unkar spat.


	6. The Spider In Its Web

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben has a little talk with Unkar Plutt and Poe finally turns up. Rey is not amused.

“Just an argument over a difference of opinion, the man saw himself as alive but I saw him as dead.” He touched his sore looking nose and chuckled “I talked him round to my way of thinking eventually” Unkar dismissed the scavenger in front of him and Rey shuffled forward with the queue. She walked the exchange with interest. She was worried about Ben getting in trouble. If he gets himself killed how would Finn and BB-8 escape? Ben bit the end of the red stick chewing it, he reached down to his feet and picked up a battered old helmet the gasmask still attached by one side. He stood the helmet on his hand facing him,

“How many portions did you palm over for this Plutty?” he said grinning at him he was chewing on the bit of red stick. Unkar glanced at him then back. He spun back when he noticed what he was holding.

“how did you get that?” Unkar turned round to look at the room behind him, he checked his stocks. Ben took the opportunity to ram the helmet on his head and jumped up onto the ledge in front of the window. He sat cross-legged with his elbows on his knees resting his chin on his fists. The helmet visor was tinted black; a crack ran across one side. Only Ben’s grin could be seen under the helmet. he swallowed the bit of stick he was chewing. The scavenger stood behind him scuttled backwards bumping into the one behind him.

“your little den isn’t that hard to get into Plutty, you have an awful lot of interesting stuff in there to. As well as even bigger amount of rations as well.” Unkar jumped round at the sudden closeness of Bens voices. He stubbed back into the room. Ben grabbed the wire fences that separated the top half of the window form the outside world. He pulled himself under the wire and into the room. the helmet was loss so when Ben lend back it fell and rolled off the shelf, Ben didn't pay it any attention. a near by scavenger swooped in and swiped it. Unkar panicked and swung wildly at Ben. He ducked under the punch grabbing his fat hand and pulling it behind his back. Ben pushed him forward so he was pressed up against the side of the window,

“what do you want?” Unkar gasped into the wall. Ben leaned forward and whispered into the taller man’s ear. Many of the scavengers in front of Rey had fled when Ben had jumped up onto the ledge. She crept forward to hear what he said, she shouldn’t have bothered she couldn’t understand it.

“bu Yih baa bla Unkar,” Unkar’s eye widened with fear at Bens words “woy mee hotpaka paniane mo mah bapionh kyotopa noa-a koumi “friendly”” the last word he said with menaces. it was also the only world Rey could understand.

(Translation from Huttese to galactic standard: “the Hutt’s know Unkar,” --- “do your job properly or my next visit will be less “friendly””)

Rey didn’t like the accent that Ben used when talking in the odd language. It was slow and thoughtful but it dripped threats and just felt evil. A small part of her liked the horrified look on Unkar’s faces. Ben laughed and let go of Unkar’s arm. He stepped back leaving the man shaking and leaning against the side of the window. Ben walked towards the door in the back of the hut. He paused and picked up what looked like a data chip, he considered it for a moment he then crouched down and poked around under the shelf. He pulled out a dark bag he stood up again and dropped the chip into the bag he grabbed the rest of the pile, dropping them into the bag too and headed for the door. Unkar was just starting to pull himself back together when the door squeaked open and Ben exited. He stated walking towards the entrances to the awning with the bag swung over his shoulder. He was whistling a tune as he walked. Unkar slowly returned to the window he was breathing heavily and he was staring down at the shelf but he didn’t seem to see it. He didn’t look up when he called for the next scavenger to come forward. Rey moved forward but a smaller scavenger trotted forward first, it dropped a motor on the shelf. Rey had traded a similar motor the day before and had got a quarter portions for it. Unkar picked it up and turned it over in his hands. “Two potions.” he said quietly and reached down to give the creature its rations. It squealed in delight and scampered out of the awning. Rey hurried forward to get in on Unkar’s change of heart. She put the two gifts on the shelf carefully. She watched him as he picked them up. She was expecting to get a portion each for them even if they were worth more but she would take what she could. She wanted to go and find Ben to beat some senses into him and find out what he was doing. Unkar had inspected one of the pieces and was now viewing the other; he put it back down on the shelf. “Three portions each.” He said in the same quiet voice. She nearly gasped, her mouth did fall open. He put the potions on the shelf and picked up the two devices and tuned to put them behind him. Rey quickly grabbed the six portions and stuffed them in her bag. She hurried away from the window in case he changed his mind. She quickly walked in the direction that Ben had taken. she was going to get answers, even if she has to beat them out of him.

It took Rey a while to find Ben. He was sat against one of the concrete pillars that made up the awning she had walked out of. He had picked one of the pillars that was directly behind Unkar’s stand. The sun was beginning to set so there was a large shadow that Ben was sitting in. his head was down and a black book was open on his knee. He was carefully moving a pencil over the page. She head BB-8 beeping as she drew closer. A strange creature rolled up to her beeping a greeting, it took her a moment to work out that the furry head of the creature was Tookie and the robotic ball it used to move was BB. Bens coat was wrapped around BB head the buttons opened around the camera BB used to see. The top half of the coat was rolled up so that it came up to Tookie’s chin the animal sat on BB-8 head smugly. BB-8 spun round the arms of the coat wind milling as he did, Tookie wobbled but stayed put, he stated towards Ben who hadn’t noticed her arrival. As she got closer Rey noticed that Ben had two other pencils stuck in his hair behind his ear, he would reach up and swap one of them for the one in his hand. He had a lump of rubber stuck under the bands that where wrapped around his writs. As she walked up he ran a hand though his hair ruffling it up so that it stood at an odd angle. He was cute when he was focusing on something. Rey knew not to sneak up on someone, especially someone who could scare Unkar Plutt into giving out more rations.

“Hey,” she called; he looked up and smiled at her. He reached up and pulled the pencils out of his hair putting them in a pocket at the back of the book before closing it and buttoning the seal. tucking it into his pocket as he stood up.

“Hey,” he said scuffing a hand through his hair again, “did you complete your business,” he walked towards her,

“Yeah and I saw your little stunt.” She tried to put venom into her voice but she didn’t think it worked. He raised his hand and to a step back but he still had his mischievous smirk on his face,

“What, I only played on his guilt a little bit, and suggested he be a bit nicer to his workers,” she glared at him, the end of her staff gowned into the sand next to her. “Hey! It worked didn’t it?” he said and walked past her “come on, let’s go and find Poe,” Rey turned and followed him towards the watering hole in the quad. “Took-8 are you coming?” Rey looked back at BB-8 and Tookie. She didn’t know if it was possible for computers to growl but the droid gave a remarkable attempt. The strange half Loth Cat half droid rolled after Ben.

It was coming up for the end of the hour Ben had said they would search. Rey was sitting against the fences surrounding the compound, Ben was watching the traders and scavengers coming and going. The creature Ben had nick named Took-8 was next to her. The droid beeped sadly, it was losing hope for finding its master.

“we will find him, don’t worry,” she reassured the droid. she resting her elbows on her knees and leaned forward. Ben sighed and turned away from the convoy that was making its way across the dunes. He picked up his water skin that was sat next to Rey from sharing it. He took a swig and walked over to Tookie going down on one knee, he poured some water into the palm of his hand and held it out for Tookie to drink, he lapped at the water greedily. The convoy had reached the gait now, there were four luggerbeast in a line the owners where hurrying to remove good and scrap from the animals back. Rey didn’t pay them much attention the convoy came in around the same time every day. Ben was staring at a man who had slid down off the back one of the beasts; he has scruffy dark brown hair. He only wore a creamy yellow shirt and black trousers. he also looked like he had just walked away from a fight, dried blood covered one side of his faces and he favored one arm over the other. The man hadn’t noticed Ben yet. he was helping the traded to carry boxes out of the way of the animals. He walked near her and Ben. Ben turned to the post that he had been leaning on and stared at it intently, stroking his chin. He the pretended to read loudly,

“Droid and pilot lost. If found, please return to General Leia Organa. Reward for droid.” The man spun round at the sound of Ben's voice, a grin spread across his face. He put the box he was carrying down and walked up to the pole himself. He mimicked Ben and read,

“Lost son. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Answers to the name of “Ben”. If found. You can keep him.” Ben laughed and turned to the man. The man grabbed him and crushed him in a bear hug,

“It’s good to see you Benny,”

“It’s good to see you too Poe,” they stayed hugging for a long moment. Rey coughed and Ben let go of Poe. He was about to say something but he was drowned out by the lowed, exited screeching of BB-8 and he sped up to Poe, the man dropped to his knees to greet the droid he seemed just as exited to see it. BB-8 had knocked Tookie off his head in his rush to meet Poe. the Loth Cat crawled out from under Ben's coat and hissed at the droid. Ben coughed and said,

“Poe this is Rey, she is the one to find BB. Rey this is Poe…,” Poe stood up and Ben dropped an arm over his shoulder, “he’s my big brother.” Poe laughed

"BIG, haha, your taller than me Benny Boy," he playfully punched Ben in the stomach. Ben tightened his arm around his neck and messed up his hair,

"you are three years older than me Bro, that makes you the adult and the responsible one," Poe struggled out of Ben's hold,

"and yet here you are rescuing me." Rey was about to reply but a shout came from the tents on the other side of the quad,

“POE!” Finn shouted sprinting across the quad,

“FINN!” Poe shouted back.


	7. Grumpy Grumpy Gramps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and his grandfather have a heart to heart that doesn't end well. then all shit breaks loss.  
> its back to Ben's point of view as the grampa, grandson relationship is fun to write.

Ben watched the two men meet each other in a tight bear hug. He put his foot in front of BB-8, who was doing a robotic impression of hissing at Finn. His foot stopped the droid from ruining the moment for the two men by electrocuting Finn out of spite. Poe pulled back but kept his gripping Finns forearms, Finn copped him. They were taking excitedly to each other. Rey stated walking toward the pair, a slight smile on her faces directed toward Finn, she must have never seen his smile, thought Ben. Ben stayed behind to hold back BB,

“Cute, when’s the wedding? Finn Dameron has a nice ring to it” his grandfather stood next to him his arms crossed watching the scenes unfold. Ben considered the distances he was from the others and guessed he was far enough away to treat his grandfather with a reply,

“it’s the angry one and the scared one that are together. You know how Poe is he gets bored and jumps around more than a Fabool in heat. He could never settle down enough to get married.” Ben chuckled,

“You really think that lovely young lady like him? he is shacking like a leaf, he also lie to her, I have told you a thousand times that women don’t like to be lie to Ben, its rule three, just after killing someone they love and forgetting their birthday” Ben chuckled he wasn’t going to point out that his grandfather had already broken most of his own rules.

“You are only trying to give me advices on women because you don’t like Dad. And how to hit on women is the only thing he could teach me, that and how to keep a pile of scrap flying on a minimal budget,” the ghosts huffed and grumbled

“I never liked that man, he was no good for my Leia, she deserves better,” Ben rolled his eyes he didn’t want to hear the “how much I hate Hans” speech again,

“Look, I think she likes Finn, I know for a fact that he likes her but it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t because it is none of my business,” the blue man grinned at his grandson

 “Oh really? Because she was looking at you earlier, and not just with contempt,” Ben gave his grandfather a sideways look,

“You could have told me she was there, I told you to keep a look out.”

“And I told you to show her the drawing,” Ben removed his boot from in front of BB-8 who took off at speed to get to Poe. He moved to follow the droid ignoring the last comment,

“its beautiful Ben, you are an amazing artist, she would think so too,” Ben turn towards the ghost and glared, he spotted Tookie waddling towards him. The Loth Cat was dragging his coat in his mouth but most of the fabric was getting caught under the little creature legs, hence the waddling. Ben knelt and waited for the Cat to come to him,

“No she wouldn’t she would just think I’m a creep for drawing her, you saw how she cringed at Finn hugging her, she doesn’t like people getting to close. she would mistake the drawing as something else, anyway it’s not the best drawing have done, If want someone to see my work it would be a better pieces” Tookie had reached him now and dropped the coat in front of him and licking is lips before purring and rubbing against his bent knee. Ben picked up the coat, it was too hot to put it back on so he draped hit over his arm. He reached down and picked Tookie up not putting him on his shoulder but setting the animal in the crook of his arm.

“Ben, that book is full of beautiful drawings if you never show them to anyone you will never get any praise for them,” his grandfather was stood beside him with a blue hand on his shoulder, Ben couldn’t feel it but he knew it was there.

“What if I don’t want praise? My note book is private. We both have our hobbies that keep us sane. I draw, you build death stars. Mine seems to be working better than yours did.” Ben stood up and walked towards the others his grandfather followed. Ben could feel the glare on the back of his head.

“Low blow Ben, low blow.”

Ben could feel his agitation sitting in his chest, just above where Tookie had hooked his claws into his shirt to hold on. It was not good to have such negativity in him; it could affect his judgement if he was angry. He tried to avoid any type of negativity if he could, he had seen what it could do and it terrified him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes; to anyone looking it would look like he had the sun in his eyes. He pushed the negativity way using the technique his grandfather had shown him long ago. He checked that his mental walls where still up and secure as well. He didn’t want anyone else in his head; with him and his grandfather it was already too crowded to be comfortable. When he was sure he had everything back in place he opened his eyes and stuck his grin back on. The whole thing took less than two seconds. He walked up to the little group. Finn and Poe where still talking. Poe was pointing at his jacket that Finn was wearing, he tried to take it off but Poe stopped him grinning and saying something Ben couldn’t make out, but it pleased Finn. Rey stood next to then looking a little left out. He came up behind her and stood on her right next to Poe. Poe spun toward him letting go of Finn who looked slightly shocked and hurt at this. Poe griped Bens arm tightly and held eye contact as he spoke, like was trying to communicate with his eyes,

“Ben! Look who it is, is Finn, FINN, you REMEMBER Finn, he is in the rebellion with us REMEMBER!” Poe’s grip on Ben arm tightened to the point that Ben yelped.

“Yes I REMEMBER **FINN!** ” he said removing Poe’s hand from his arm, Tookie cocked his head at Poe and mewed in confusion at the exchange. Poe reached up and patted the animals head. He mewed and pushed his hand into Poe hand further, at their feet BB-8 screeched at this betrayal. Both Rey and Finn were also confused, “he helped get me out of a little “disagreement” earlier, didn’t you friend,” Ben looked up at Finn who was shocked for a second as he was thrusted into the conversation,

“err, Yeah we helped him down off that pole, then we started looking for you,” Poe relaxed, he laughed and put his arm around Bens shoulders pulling him down so that he could mess up his hair this time,

“You had a little “disagreement”? Making friend again are we baby bro? that would explain the broken nose, you better get that looked at soon bro” Ben half-heartily struggled against the grip,

“Why does everyone say that? And my nose is fine, slightly sore but fine” Finn was making a confused sound and pointing between the two men with an equally confused expression on his face, “baby bro?” he asked,

“oh yeah, Finn this is my Baby brother Ben Solo,” Poe said letting Ben go and turning to Finn he just looked even more confused, Poe rubbed the back of his head trying to come up with a quick and simple explanation “err, well his family adopted me when I was six, I was meant to be his companion but I ended up just being another one of Mama Leia’s chicks, she seemed to like having lots of children round her, I think there were five of us over all,” he looked back at Ben for conformation, he nodded,

“me, you, kaydel and the twins,” he counted them out on his fingers, “yep, that’s  five” Ben noticed that something was wrong. He looked around the quad that they were standing in. the sand blew across the open spaces making a quiet hissing sound. Other than that the place was silent. The scavengers that had been scurrying around before had disappeared and the luggerbeasts had pulled a vanishing act as well. He spun on his heel to take in the whole view, “on another note, where Is everybody?” the others looked around too. It was then that they herd it, the scream of TIE fighters on the horizon. Three of them were flanking a troop transporter, they were coming in fast. Finn paled and Rey griped her staff tighter, BB-8 hid behind Poe’s legs. Ben tuned and looked at Poe,

“Shall we run for our lives?” he said in a remarkable calm voice

“Oh yes, lets” Poe replied mimicking his voice. They turned and sprinted towards Ben’s ship that seemed to be a lot further away than when Ben last looked. Finn and Rey close behind them with BB screaming on their heels, but the TIE fighters had gotten closer enough to open fire the bullets knocking small puffs of sand behind them. All four dived behind the lip of the watering hole to avoid being shot. Tookie screeched when Ben nearly landed on him digging his claws in deeper into bens chest causing him to hiss in pain. The screams of the TIE fighters swooped overhead and came back around as the hiss of the troop transports stabilizing jets could be herd. The dull thud of the ramp hitting the sand was oddly loud over all the other noise. Ben looked at his little group,

“Okay, we need to split up and give them more to chase, our overall aim it to get to my ship over there,” he pointed towards his ship, he reached out and touched Rey’s arm to get her to look at him and not over the lip of the well at the oncoming death, “Rey you need to get out of here, lie low of a bit okay, don’t come back here you might get in trouble” she looked confused at the concern in his voice before replying,

“If you haven’t noticed they are shooting at me too, so I’m sticking with you guys till you get me out of this!” Ben grinned and laughed at her bluntness and maybe slightly at the idea that “he” could get them out of this. He looked over at Finn who was as white as a sheet, he was holding his gun again and shaking, he couldn’t make him run on his own he would freeze up. He pulled one of his blasted off his belt and gave it to Poe who took it easily and checked how much ammo it had. He didn’t need to explain what he had to do to Poe which he took as a blessing and not that they were both so clumsy that they got themselves into trouble like this so often that they knew the routine. He looked back up at Rey “Do you still have those blasters I gave you?” he asked pulling another one of his own blasters out and checking the ammo. She dove into her bag and pulled one out, “Good, do you know how to shoot?” he asked she held the gun up and aimed it at the sand behind them.

“Yeah you point that end at someone and pull the trigger,” Poe laughed and Ben shrugged,

“That is the basics, it will do for now,” he looked down pulling another blaster out of its holster, he had one spare if things really went to shit, he laughed and shook his head at the thought that thing weren’t already half way up shit river with a plastic spoon instead of a paddle. As he was readying his second blaster he said “if we get out of this alive remind me to teach you how to shoot,” he didn’t wait for a reply, he risked popping his head over the lip to see what was going on, a squad of troopers where descending the ramp, they didn’t have much time, “okay, Rey and Finn go that way, me and Poe will go the other, give them more to shoot at,” he tuned to BB-8 who was cowering between Poe’s knees  “BB you stay with Rey they are after both you and Poe so stay with them at all costs, take the long root round to the ship and try and lose them in the tents over there,” he pointed towards the traders tents and patted Finn of the shoulder, “good luck,” he said finally he stuffed Tookie down the front of his top, the Cat squawked at the indignity but righted himself pocking his head out under Bens chin. Ben pulling Poe over to his side of the well and they took off towards the big awning on the other side of the outpost. The troopers stated shooting at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay updates are going o be coming out on Thursdays now. please don't hit me! but i do know where I'm going now!!!!!!! I HAVE A PLAN!!!! not just driving madly hoping some of this will make senses, not that i was to start with. but if anyone wants to help me steer this story i would be very grateful and perhaps we could speed it up a bit. i know one of the tags is "Slow Burn" but this is going at glacial speed.


	8. Fluttering Out Of Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!  
> The exams are over! i repeat: the exams are over! we are free again!  
> I'm back baby!!!! updates will go back to normal, or as normal as they ever where. i have done a bit of spring cleaning to this Fic so i would suggest going back and reading it over again as it might make more senses now. i have also renamed all the chapters to something more sensible and not just what i felt like at the time. (except number seven. i like number seven.) this chapter is back to Rey's point of view as i wanted to show her experiencing traits of fouse user. if you want a more modern description of Poe and Ben running away from the Stormtroopers. think Alex and Marty form Madagascar 2 running away from the tourists. SNICKETY SNAKE! SNICKETY SNAKE! :3

Rey turned away from the two men, as they skipped and jumped their way over to the awning, dogging built before disappearing inside. She looked at Finn who seemed to be on the verge of having a panic attack, BB-8 beeped nervously next to her. She peeped over the top of the well, most of the troops where shooting at Ben and Poe who were shooting back sporadically as they dogged behind the concrete walls of the awning, they were following the two men closely she could hear crashing and shouts coming from inside the building. She put her hand and Finns shoulder pushing him in the direction of the trader’s tents. He wouldn’t move, he didn’t even notices her push. She curses under her breath, BB-8 rammed into his back trying to get him to move as well but it was no uses. Finn was breathing heavily and quickly it was like he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs. His eyes where wide and staring blankly at the sand in front of his crouched form, rocking slightly. Rey looked around trying to think of a way to move him. She risked another peep over the well, unfortunately this time she wasn’t so lucky, a trooper spotted her and shot, she ducked back in time but the built chipped the side of the well, she fell backwards and squawked. This seemed to knock Finn out of his trances he still griped his gun in one hand, he had yet to fire it, he grabbed her hand with the other and pulled her in the direction of the tents,

“we have to go ,” he shouted. Rey bit her tong stopping the snarky comment from escaping the confines of her mouth and concentrated on running, BB-8 zoomed after them. They reached the tents and ducked behind a pile of crated behind the first store they came to. The owner was cowering inside under a makeshift counter. Rey pulled her hand out of Finns,

“Let go of my hand!” she yelped, BB-8 screeched a warning and as three troops rounded the corner and started fighting at them. Finn garbed her hand again, much to the annoyances of Rey and they darted off, they reached the end of a row of tents there was a clear run to Ben’s ship from here. Rey’s stomach, that had already tide its self into knots from the adrenalin and fear that almost consumed her mind at this point, it flipped in a way she was familiar with, it normally happened when she was crawling through a crashed ship. it was a warning, something bad was going to happen the next move she made, however sometime the bad thing would not appear but the feeling would still flip her stomach. She looked towards the ship. She didn’t want to risk the feeling turn out to be a bad one it could end up getting them killed. She had had severally closes call in the wrecks half buried in the desert wasteland of Jakku. She had only just survived by listening to this feeling in the past. She turned away from the ship. Finn, who was still running toward the ship, paused when she pulled on his hand. She pulled him towards the large storage house at the other end of the row of tents,

“REY! Rey where are you going? the ship is over there,” he spluttered, Rey pulled on his hand,

“Trust me, and LET GO OF MY HAND!” she finally freed her hand from his and they ran around the corner of the building, the troops where still heading in the direction they had just come form, they stayed behind the tents and out of sight. the building was normally used for the deconstruction of ships that Unkar brought in from less than honest sellers, it was currently uses as a hiding places for most of the scavengers that hadn’t managed to escape the outpost before the First Order had landed. The ship had landed not far from the end of the tent row. There were going to have to make a dash for the awning. Rey was eyeing the trooped that were staying with the ship, suddenly the TIE fighters came screaming back they lay down a carpet of bullets through the centre of the outpost, Rey scrabbled back into Finn to avoid being hit by any stray built BB-8 beeped behind Finn. A boom came from the direction they had just run from. Rey darted back up and looked towards Ben’s ship, it was gone, in its places was a pillar of smoke. Rey heard a shout form the other side of the court yard,

“MY SHIP!!! YOU BASTARDS!!!!!” Rey looked up to see Ben and Poe stood on top of the awning, they were in the centre of the building where Rey knew a concrete pillar held up the rest of the roof. Poe was crouching down using the flapping cloth that made up the rest of the roof as cover. Trooped where swarming the building trying to get up to the two men, they were being shot down by Poe who was trying to pull Ben back to a safer spot that the one he was in, he stood strait up looking at what remained of his ship shouting abuses at the TIE fighters who flew overhead. Rey didn’t want to know how they got up there, she didn’t want to know wheat there plan was, she tried not to dwell too much on how vulnerable they were up on that roof, she put her mind back into its normal practical way of thinking, it had lapsed since meeting this group of crazy rebels. She focused on the fact that they were causing a distraction that she and Finn could uses to get to safety. She noticed her speeded parked near the awning, she had completely forgotten about it. she was pleased to see that it remained unharmed so far. It would provide good cover for her next move. Rey grabbed Finn by the sleeve and pulled him out into the open, BB-8 followed closely. They ran across the quad quickly keeping their heads down, they made it to her speeded without getting noticed, this was mostly because Ben seemed to want to take on every trooper single handed as recompense for his lost ship. Poe was backing him up as well as holding him back Ben was kicking the troopers off the wall they were climbing up before they could get onto the roof. The boys seemed to be holding out well but they were drawing the fire of most of the Stormtroopers now. Rey, Finn and BB-8 hid behind the speeder,

“What now?” Finn askes, he was slipping back into his panicked state. “The ship is gone, we have no way of escaping!” Rey ignored him and darted towards the awning, the troopers where all trying to climb up one wall on the far side of the building, she assumed that was the way Ben and Poe got up there. She peeked round the corner and looked at the few ships that where outside the walls, one was a lump of metal that Rey had already written off as a potential escape vehicle, the other was a small jet like ship that might fit them all at a squeezes. It was there best bet now. Above them someone yelped and there was the groan of old metal that want uses to this much stress. The shouting had gotten more panicked now. A good number of the troopers had made it up onto the awning and where now fighting for balance. Ben and Poe had been driven back to right above Rey and Finn, the metal bars that held up the cloth roof where not going to hold there weight for much longer. It was Ben who slipped first; he put his foot on a part of the roof that he though was solid but it wasn’t. His foot went right though it he stumbled forward but when trying to correct himself he leaded to far back and tumbled backwards off the roof. He hit the sand with a thud just in front of Finn who jumped back. The wind had been knocked out of him but he seemed alright. Above them Poe shouted down to him, he raided one hand and stuck his thumb up as a gesture to prove that he was okay. Tookie crawled up to his face and started licking it to try and help him. Rey was going to move over to him and help him up but Poe shrieked as a volley of built skimped past him he toppled off the roof and came crashing down on top of Ben. Tookie screeched and jumped out of the way. Ben groaned and rolled onto his side as Poe pulled himself up. Poe was laughing,

“you still make a good landing pad bro,” he pulled himself up and held out a hand to Ben,

“I hate you,” Ben gasped holding his ribs. Tookie climbed back into Ben shirt, Ben took Poe’s hand and got up. He leaded against Poe and they looked around Rey moved over to them,

“our best bet is that ship over there, it might be a tight fit to get everyone in, but it will be worth a shot.” She stated to move in the direction of the ship. Finn stood and followed but he questioned,

“but what about that ship?” he pointed towards the bigger ship, “it could hold all of us with room to spare,”

“what that lump of garbage,” she said leading the group at a low trot towards the smaller ship, the Stormtroopers where hurrying to get off the awing and catch them. Behind her Rey head Ben gasp,

“stars above, I don’t believe it.” He gasped

“what? What is it?” Poe asked she looked round to see Ben pointing at the lump of garbage; Poe looked at what he was pointing at and gasped, “no way!”

they had to pick up the paces now as the troops where shooting at them again, they were sprinting for the small ship when the scream of TIE fighters came back, bullets rained down around them again, the sky was darkening so they couldn’t see where the black painted fighters where. The red flash of bullets where the only indication on their whereabouts, in front of them the ship they were heading to exploded, Rey spun around and shouted to Finn,

“okay that garbage will do!” they ran towards the ship behind them Ben and Poe where laughing. They crazy thought Rey, completely insane. And I’m about to get in a ship with them, she growled to herself and ran faster toward the ship. She thought she was running fast when she was over taken by Ben, she could understand that he had longer legs but when Poe sped past her on Ben heels, she was a bit shocked. They reached the ship first, Ben dropped to one knee and Poe jumped onto his shoulders, Ben stood up again and Poe could reach a circuited board on the side of the ship now he pulled it open and pulled out two wires, he touched them together and the entrances hatch dropped open. Their movement was almost rehearsed. The ramp hit the sand about the same time Rey reached the two men. Poe dropped down off Ben shoulders, she could head him counting under his breath, Ben was doing the same they had go to seven, they ran up the ramp at eight. They enter the ship and ran right for the cockpit. Rey was impressed at how they manged to find it so quickly. Finn and BB-8 made it up the ramp before Rey closed it and ran to the cockpit to. They had got to eleven when they reached the cockpit Poe leaped onto the co-pilot’s chair and pulled open panel and started rearranging the wiring inside. Ben had dropped to his back and slid under the main control panel. The ship hummed to life at twelve. Ben pulled himself out from under there panel and Poe dropped down into the co-pilots seat. Ben slid into the pilot’s seat and started going through the stated up routed by fourteen the ship was ready to fly. Ben grabbed the wheel like thing in front of him and pulled back. The ship shot way form the out post and into the night sky under a barrage of bullets from the troopers on the ground. Ben and Poe let out a whoop, Ben took his hand off the controls of a second to high five is friend,

“Fourteen seconds! It’s a new record!” Poe shouted Rey and Finn held onto the back of their seats to stop them from flying backward.

“Nothing like the fear of certain death to speed you up a bit,” Ben laughed, they shot across the dark desert, the scream of Tie fighters chasing them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to any new people who are joining us of the first time, welcome abroad our little crazy boat, our captain is blind,the navigator is deaf and the first mate jumped over broad a loooong time ago. good luck. and i hope you enjoy :3


	9. Escaping The Spiders Web

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gang are trying to escape three TIE fighters and Ben decided now is the perfect time to be a bit of maintenance work, while there is gunfire and explosions around him.  
> we are back to Ben's point of view as we all know how this flight goes down so I'm focusing on the characters that weren't there in the canon universes.

Poe cradled is left arm to his chest and used the other to fiddle with the controls in front of him. Ben was trying to control the shaking ship as it shot across the sand. That tool Unkar Plutt had installed a compressor on the ignition line; it was putting too much stress on the hyper drive he would have to remove it so they could get this ship to make the jump into hyperspaces. But before that they would have to make it out of the atmosphere. To do **that,** they would have to get these TIE fighters off there tail. It was going to be a trick escape. Ben’s headache, that had grown into a full blown migraine, wasn’t helping.  

“Let me fly, you will hit something!” Poe shouted over the roar of the engines that sounded stressed,

“You’re injured!” Ben shouted back struggling to hold the controls still and flick the controls on the panel in front of him,

“I’m a pilot!” Poe replied, reaching over flicking the control Ben was failing to press. He reached over trying to take the consoles from Ben he pushed him back into his seat with his shoulder.

“I have blood rite!” he shouted, looking up at the control panel above them. He spotted the compressor hanging out of the panel above the co-pilots seat, Ben nodded towards the chip, his knuckles white on the controls “Poe, get that kriffing compressor out of the system, it’s stopping us from jumping to hyper space!” Poe jumped up into his chair and grabbed at the panel with his good hand pulling it off.

The desert outside was dark, Ben couldn’t make out where he was or where he was going, he could only tell they were the right way up as the stars above zipped past in flashes of light however they could just be the light from campsites on the ground as they flew upsides down being chased by TIE fighters. The TIE fighters screeched behind them, Ben swerved the ship trying to throw them off. A back shape loomed out of the dark; Ben swore and pulled the ship to the right. Rey almost jumped over his shoulder pointing out the screen,

“Look out there is another ship sticking about half a click that way and closing fast,” Ben swerved the ship just in time to see the shape of the tail end of a star cruiser jump out of the dark narrowly missing the port side. The ship spun upside down, Rey turned and shouted for BB-8 to hold on Ben ground his teeth together and he pulled the controls roughly trying to pull the ship back up right. Poe cursed as he was thrown around knocking his head on the roof of the cockpit. Tookie who had been cowering in Ben shirt scrabbled out and jumped off Bens shoulder running towards the back of the ship. The whole crafted stated to stutter, the engines being over worked.

“POE!” Ben shouted angrily up at the pilot,

“I can’t get it,” Poe spluttered dropping back in to the co-pilots seat, “I need both hands to pull it out, my arm, I can’t move it,” he gripped his injured arm holding it closes to his body. Ben cured and looked over his shoulder; Finn was clinging to the wall trying to stay up right. Fear filled his eyes. Rey was leaning over the back of his seat watching the dark desert speed by.

“Rey, take control, I need to do a little reprograming and you seem to know your way through this scrap yard” He let go of the controls and stepped up onto the co-pilots seat kneeing Poe in the process, Rey leaped forward to grab the controls falling into the pilots seat, Ben reached in to the panel above Poe and started rewiring it to bypass the compressor before he could remove it. Poe spun to Finn,

“Get to the Gunner point, it’s down the hall, strait across the corridor and down that hatch. try and take out those TIE fighters tailing us. I know you can do it” he pointed in the direction he meant, Finn nodded and took off in that direction. Outside the TIE fighters had got the ship in there sight, the ship rocked with every hit, Rey cursed under her breath, Poe quickly fiddled with the controls he could reach with one hand stabilizing the ship and sealing off the breaches he could from the main controls.

“Ben!” Rey shouted “we could really use the hyper drive about now.” panic edging her voices,

“Nearly there love,” He said, “just give me a few more seconds” he knew it was muffled as he had most of his torso inside the panel trying to reach the wires at the back, he needed to rewire this last link before he could remove the compressor, however it was right at the back and just out of his reach. After that, so long as they aren’t blown up, they could theoretically make the jump into hyperspaces. If they got closer enough to the edge of the atmosphere, that is. Finns voice came though on the speakers, he was saying that he couldn’t get a target on any of the TIE fighters. The ship shook again as the ship was struck again. Ben growled as the wire slipped through his fingers again, he jumped slightly trying to wiggle his large frame further into the wires. His swinging legs smacked against Poe’s back, the pilot cured him out in his mother’s language and pushed his legs back. Ben ignored him and used his shoulders to push him up further into the panel. Finn whooped over the radio as a boom outside indicated the demises’ of a fighters. Ben reached the finale wire connecting it to a second wire. He had now completely rerouted the wiring around the compressor. The ship lurched knocking Ben against the side of the panel,

“Hey! I would prefer not to be beaten to death by this ship, it’s not the first thing that comes to mind when I think about how I will die, something involving a jealous husband perhaps,” he shouted out to the cockpit.

  
“You still can’t shut up, can you Solo” Poe shouted back up at him. In the cockpit he could hear Rey was shouting something, Finn voice on the radio was more panicked than normal. He tried to wiggle backwards but his shoulders where stuck fast in the entrances to the panel, he cursed under his breath. He had moved back far enough that he could access the compressor, he grabbed hold of it. At that point Rey had shouted something that seemed to upset both Finn and Poe. He felt the ship move violently to the right and speed forwards, the g-force caused him to be pulled backwards the chip still in his hand. A boom came from outside but Finn didn’t celebrate Rey must have driven the other TIE fighter into a wall or something. Ben was more concerned about the fact that he was shooting backwards. There was enough force to pull him out of the panel. He squawked and fell out over the back of the co-pilot chair he kicked Poe in the head as he went. The injured pilot shouted at him as he fell, the ship twisted side way and he slid into the wall, behind him he could hear Tookie screeching, he looked back to see BB-8 using its grapping hook to hold it in place floating in the centre of the hallway. Tookie was clinging madly to the droids round body, yowling. The there was a boom and Finn whooped again signalling the demises’ of the final TIE fighter. Rey and Poe whooped, Finn could be heard cheering across the radio. Ben lay on his back staring at the ceiling Rey pulled the controls back,

“BEN!” she shouted still thinking he was in the panel, “I need that hyper drive,” Poe turned in his seat and looked at him, Ben held up the chip with the wires hanging off the end. He didn’t say anything just stayed lying on his back. Poe laughed at his exhausted brother and turned back to Rey,

“The compressor is out, let’s go!” he told her. Rey pull the controls right back sending the ship shooting into the night sky. She pulled the lever back and they jumped into hyper space.

Rey cheered, she put the ship into autopilot. Ben could hear Finn’s feet on the ladder leading up to the main level he was cheering as well, Poe was laughing. Rey jumped out of the pilot seat and moved to run out into the corridor, she nearly stood on Ben as he remained on the floor with his eyes closed. She hoped away from him, her smile knocked off her face,

“Are you alright?” she asked moving to kneel next to him.

“Yeah,” he groaned “I’m just going to stay here for a bit and check my eyelids for holes” she shook her head and smiled at him. She stood up and ran to meet Finn. Poe stood slowly and stiffly from the co-pilots seat. He walked over to his brother and put out his good hand out,

“Need a hand there bro?” Poe laughed, Ben groaned as he got to his feet. His head hurt, his ribs hurt, his nose throbbed and now he had small burns on the tips of his fingers from ripping the circuit chip out. Over all he just wanted to crawl into his bunk and pass out with Bacta covering his whole body. Not the most glamorizes evening he could imagine but it sounded amazing about now. Ben wobbled over to the pilot’s seat and flopped into it. He checked the heading on the controls, his movements where slow and painful. Poe walked to the back of the cockpit a small box was screwed to the wall. He opened it and removed a Bacta wrap, he reached in again to retrieve another but Ben said,

“Just grab some pain killers for me, my head is killing me,” Poe nodded and pulled out a pill bottle instead then closed the door to the box. He walked back over to Ben and tossed him the pill bottle before sitting down. He pulled up his sleeve on his left arm. His shoulder was swollen and bruised; his forearm was also swollen. Ben open the bottle and shook out two pills. He threw them into his mouth and swallowed. Poe was struggling to tear the Bacta wrap in two using his mouth and one good hand,

“Come here,” Ben said turning towards him and taking the wrap from the man’s mouth and tearing it. He peeled off the protective layer on the back of one sheet, he carefully pressed it onto Poe’s shoulder. Poe hissed as he smoothed it down. Ben laughed under his breath,

“he isn’t going to believe this,” his laugh growing louder “he has been looking for this bucket of bolts for years with not even a screw to be found, and we just stumble over it” Poe smiled and chucked too,

“Speaking of the old man, have you seen him recently?” curiosity edging his voice. Ben huffed straightening out the wrap on Poe’s shoulder,

“I met him in a bar in the Dalonbian sector about a month ago; he seems alright, still a bit nervy around me which is not so good. He had a job heading towards Belkadan. I was heading the other way on my own job, into Hutt territory, he want happy about that, not at all,” Poe sighed and handed him the second half of the Bacta to him.

“You tried Ben, that is the most you can do,” Ben fiddled with the ripped sheet not looking at his adoptive brother,

“Yeah but I feel like I could do more, but then again he could reach out to me for once,”

Finn and Rey had calmed down a bit now; they seemed to be discussing something as Ben pulled the back off the other half of the Bacta wrap. Rey said something loudly causing Ben and Poe to look up from applying the Bacta to Poe’s forearm, Rey came storming back in to the cockpit with Finn in tow behind her.

“why does everyone want to go back to jakku?” he groaned as he followed her. She marched up to the pilot seat,

“turn the ship around I need to go back.” She said gripping the back of Ben seat, Ben looked up confused. She leaned over and tried to change the controls. Ben grabbed her hand stopping her. The look she gave him could kill a lesser man,

“holdup sweetheart, we can’t go back just yet,” he stood up and gently moved her way from the controls. she ripped her hand from him moving away quickly, “you saw all those ships on the scanner, they are all probably combing that desert looking for us. All of us” she looked down at her feet,

"they wont fined shit," Poe piped up with a grin, completely missing the seriousness of the discussion,

“I have to get back, I need to be there for when they get back,” she almost whispered down to her feet. Ben sighed and put his hand gently on her shoulder,

“look, love when all this has calmed down and that sith spit called the First Order is off chasing its tail elsewhere, I promises you I will bring you back here. even if I have to build the ship from the ground up myself to fly you there,” Ben tryed a small smile to lighten her mood. But she was still staring at her feet like they had all the answers,

“but what if they come back and im not there,” she whispered again, Finn was standing in the door way watching the exchange with his permeably worried eyes, Poe was mainly focused on getting the Bacta too sick to his arm but he glanced up now and then through the conversation.

“maybe you should make them wait for you a little bit then as pay back, that is if they come back in the small amount of time you will be gone, they will wait if…err, I mean when they come back, they will wait for you” Ben didn’t know who “they” where but they seem to be keeping this girl tied to that planet, Ben needed to tread lightly as whoever “they” where they seemed to be important to her as well. Rey nodded slowly still staring at her feet. she was a smart girl, so you understood that this was the logical move. After a second she looked up and pushed Ben hand away marching back to stand next to the pilots seat, Ben hurried after her in case she intended to piloted the ship back to Jakku herself despite what he had just said. She stood with her arms cross protectively over her chest looking out into hyper spaces,

“Where are we heading?” she asked bluntly. Ben relaxed and flopped down into the pilots seat putting his boots up on the controls,

“That way,” he waved towards the screen “at speed” Rey snorted and said,

“Do you know where THAT way is?”

“Not a clue," Ben said putting his hand behind his head "but that the fun of it,” he grinning and leaning back in the chair. Rey turned and walked back out the door,

“I’m going to check on the engines,” she shouted behind her. Finn walked into the room and collapsed into the passenger seat behind Ben. Poe grinned at him and patted him on his shoulder to congratulate him. Ben let his eyes close, the excitement was over and the exhaustion was kicking in. he heard the murmur of convocation between the two men. He was drifting off to sleep when Poe poked him,

“Hey Ben, your coat has a massive rip in it,” Ben's eyes flew open and tore the coat off his back. He was faced with a large burn in the thick navy blue material of the coat caused by a blaster bolt that had skimming across his back. The burn ran from his lower left hip to his right shoulder. He should have been relived that the shot hadn’t hit him but Ben's mind worked differently from other people. He held up the coat and looked through the hole at Poe.

“NO! MY COAT!!!!!!!” he shouted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cough* Spacesball references, free hug for anyone who can spot it *cough*


	10. The Calm Before The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> just a post battle chill really  
> this is a short little chapter but the next is going to be a biggie as our to favorite roger and his walking carpet are going to show up :3
> 
> Edit: okay when i looked back over this i found that one: i must have been slightly tipsy when writing this as it was spelt horrifically and made very little senses, im sorry for that . and Two: this chill chapter is actually really quite long for one of my chapters (which i deliberately keep around 2000 words). so if you have read this one before i would suggest you read it again it might be a bit better now. :3

Rey walked slowly back through the ship. Her heart was just starting to calm down after the escape. She was a little unnerved that Ben had managed to see right into her head and talk her out of turning the ship around, even though she knew she must. he promised he would get her home soon, so everything should be fine in the end. but it was still unnerving. It was like he could read her mind. She was scared at how much senses he made and how stupid she was being. Being stupid would get you killed on Jakku.

She reached the main corridor she saw BB-8 and Tookie trying to lower themselves down to the floor carefully. The poor animal was shacking, the droid was not much better. She tried to reach out and pick up the animal the same way Ben had picked it up earlier. She nervously put her hands round its body. The animal tensed up a low growl started rumbling in its throat. Rey pulled the animal away from the droid and quickly lowered it to the floor. it twisted in her grip swiping at her, she let go and jumped away. The animal hissed, Rey expected it to skitter off back to its master in the cockpit but the animal spun around and shot into a vent. the cover of the vent was slightly askew, the Cat seemed to know where it was going. Rey was confused, but that creature would confused her no matter what. She helped BB-8 down. the heavy droid beeping its thanks before zooming off to be near Poe. She walked down the corridor looking for the maintenances bay. Back in the cockpit she heard Ben shouting something in distress.she paused and would have turned and gone to see what was the matter but she herd loud laughter. she believed it to be Poe’s meaning that there was nothing to worry about or if there was she didnt want anything to do with it. she had established the two men where crazy when they climed on top of a building to escape Stormtroopers. She reached the back of the ship. a large room held the whir of machinery, it greeted her like an old friend as she walked in. She walked up to the control panel against the wall at the back of the room. She pawed over the controls she squinted at some of the words on the labels that where stuck on the panel, she recognised some of the words but others she couldn’t even guess at. They were written in a strange squiggly font. Galactic standard was blockier. she could recognised some word as she had seen them before, but she couldn’t write them out. Rey knelt in front of a panel that was smocking softly to its self. She removed it and looked inside. A circuit had fried itself on one side of the panel. there where a number of tubes leading in and out of the other side. she checked them for crack or if any of the seal where broken. finding nothing wrong with he pipes she sat back and worried a hang nail on he left index finger. The well done circlet board was worrying her; she couldn’t see any way to remove it. It had welded its self to its support bar. from where she was sitting she couldn't see any tools at all. Unkar must have removed them all to sell. She stood up and walked over to what she believed was the com-system. It looked old and neglected. The ship was dirty and rusty but the little hand mic that she pulled, with some focus, out of its holder just took the biscuit. rust squeaking against rust as she handled it. She pressed the button on the side, the way she had seen Ben uses the one in the cockpit before. There was a crackle of feedback. she looked at devise before cautiously saying,

“Err, hello?” her voices echoed around the ship, the devise crackling and distorting her words. “Could someone come and have a look at this, I’m not 100% sure about how to fix it.” She put the mic back in its holder and waited for a reply. She could hear converstion from down the hall. She heard Poe laugh again and the com clicked on,

“Im on my way,” the pilot said through at crackle of feedback. she heard the clomp of boots on the corridor floor, the man came round the corner grinning, “you know we normally just shout down the corridor if we want someone.” He walked up to the com-system and inspected it, “I completely forgot we had one of these in here,” Rey watched him confused, she dismissed his words and knelt back down at the open panel,

“this circlets cooked and I can’t get it out. I can’t find any tools and even if I did I don’t think we have a replacement for it.” She pointed at the circuit that fizzed at Poe as he knelt down stiffly next to her. his dark cargo trousers had dark stains on them suggesting other injuries. his boots squeaked as the rubber sided rubbed against the cold metal of the the floor. he reached in and pocked around at the other pipes and circuit in the panel, he used his good hand the other held close to his body protectively.

“humm, I can find you some tools but I think we need to get Ben in here he is the engineer, he could probably cobble together a replacement" Rey curiosity was piqued by this bit of information but Poe didn't seem to notices "he is currently morning the loss of his coat,” Poe chuckled and grin widely at her. He stood up and walked to the door, he leaned around the door frame, and “BEN!” he shouted down the hall

“WHAT!” Ben shouted back at him form the cockpit?

 ”GET IN HERE!” Poe walked out into the hall and over to a little alcove. He pulled open a cupboard that was attached to the wall. He cured under his breath in a language Rey had never heard when he looked inside, “por el amor de dios, ¿por qué esta MIERDA  siempre me pasa a mí,” he slammed the door closed forcefully, anger clear in his voice as Ben came down the corridor,

“hey, hey why the bad language? I’m the pirate here; you’re the pilot, a pillar of the community. I have the right to swear, not you.” He wiggled a finger at Poe who just grumbled and lead him back into the engine bay. Ben had removed his coat and was left in his shirt that might have once been white but was now a creamily grey. There was blood on the collar that was from his broken nose. but as he turned to look at Poe she noticed a deep mark that wrapped around his neck, it was a soft pink in colour. obliviously a scar but the original cut must have been really deep or repeatedly open to leave such a big and badly healed scar. the collar of his coat would normally hide it but the baggy top he had on now hung low on his shoulders leaving his neck exposed. she turned her eyes away form it. she remembered that he didn't pry into her past so she will showed him the same courtesy. The sleeves on his shirt where rolled up to just above his elbows. He had retied his hair so it was all neatly head back, other ties and bangles hung off both his writs they seem to be coving bandages the metal charms that hung off the bracelets jingled as he shook his finger. He had returned two of his blasters to their holsters on his side but she had counted four when he had been getting ready for the mad dash across the outpost, she wondered where the other two had gone.  Both men squatted down next to Rey and Poe stated explain the problem to Ben but he spoke in the strange language,

“Todas las herramientas se han ido y esta placa de circuito ...” Ben was nodding along until he noticed Rey’s confusion. she was trying to follow what Poe was said by focusing on what he was pointing at and trying to pick up the key words, but the fast and odd language was confusing her,

“oi,” he said smacking Poe on the back of the head “galactic standard please, our little SunRey here is getting left behind,” he smirked at her, she didn’t know how she felt about that nickname. she was still a bit twitchy when he called her “love” or “sweetheart” she put thoughts down to mannerisms in his character. But “SunRey” was a little too personally for her. He didn’t see the inner turmoil on her face. Poe rubbed the back of his head and glared at his brother, but then looked at her and realised that she couldn’t understand him,

“oh yeah, sorry, i said: all the tools are gone and this circuit board had glued its self into this panel," he gave her a sheepish smile and continued "I think these controls are something to do with the oxygen supply. We better get this fixed before doing anything else. i don't know about you two but i like my air clean and not full of poisonous gas” Ben reached in and tried to pull the circuit out but it was stuck fast. He sighed and sat back on his heels,

“we will have to drop out of hyperspaces to sort this out,we cant have the hyper drive going if poisonous and potentially flammable gas is knocking around, we migh have more on our plate than just some bad air” he said. He stood up and walked back into the corridor, “FINN!” he called walking back along the corridor. Finns confused faces popped out the end of the passageway leading to the cockpit “Finn, can you pulled the ship out of Hyper drive,”

“Huh?” he said, Ben walked towards him,

“pull the ship out of hyper drive,” he repeated stopping at a panel that was halfway up a wall near the split in the corridor, he fiddling with the bolts trying to remove it. Finn diapered back into the cockpit,

“Umm, which button, lever or switch is that,” he shouted back out to Ben, the pirate sighed still forced on removing the panel without a screwdriver,

“the lever on your right next to the seat,” there was a grinding sound and the ship lurched. Ben cursed loudly being thrown slightly down the hallway, “YOUR OTHER RIGHT!” he shouted giving up on the panel and returning to the cockpit. Rey had stayed next to the broken control panel with Poe who was trying to get his fingers behind the bored to pull it out. The lurched knocked him onto his side and he hissed as he landed on his bad shoulder. Rey got to her feet and helped Poe up. he was hugging his arm close to his body. He looked in a lot of pain. After a seconded of collecting himself he smiled at her,

“come on love, better stop Ben from strangling your boyfriend,” Rey tried to glare at him but she knew he was joking, the man just chuckled and stated making his way wobbly towards the cockpit. she steeled her nerves and offered to help him walk. Rey wasn’t good with human contact but she felt like Poe could be counted as a “Friend” now. Rey smiled to herself she had never really had friends before. she had met people who didn’t try and kill her. She had considered them the closeted thing to a friend you could get on Jakku. They walked back into the cockpit, Finn was sat in the pilot’s seat nervously holding the controls as Ben calmly talked him though bring the ship out of hyperspaces. He was leaning over the man’s shoulder pointing at the controls telling him what they were and how they affected the ship. Rey helped Poe into the passenger seat behind the co-pilots seat. Ben was blocking access to the co-pilots seat so Rey stood next to Poe and watched the ship wobbly pull out of hyperspaces and slows to a standstill, the darkness of spaces surrounding them. the ships engines calmed to a quite hum. Ben patted Finn on his shoulder and congratulated him on a successful stop, Finn grinned sheepishly at the praise. Ben turned to the rest of the cabin but frowned when he looked at Poe’s pained face. He paused and picked up a small bottle that rattled as he tossed it to him. Poe caught the bottle and bit the top twisted the bottom the lid of the bottle that was in his mouth came free,

“okay, we are dead in spaces” Ben’s voice had taken on that authoritive tone as he addressed the people in front of him, he had used the same voice back on Jakku.” We need to get these repairs done quickly as we are sitting ducks at the moment. Finn you go with Rey and check the rest of the ship. no point in fixing something now for something else to break later. Poe you stay here and watch for danger,” he leaned over the read out screen on the copilots side of the controls and said “we are in trader ship territory, so any ships that pass us are more likely cargo ships and wouldn't any trouble. they will steer clear of us, hopefully, but if they don’t you need to warn us. Got it” Poe nodded. He had removed two small white objects form the bottle. He held them in the parm of his hand and he spat the lid of the bottle out into his lap, when his mouth was empty he threw the little things into it and closed his eyes to swallow them. Rey was confused but tried not to show it. Ben moves out the way for an eager Finn to get out of his seat, he came and stood next to Rey. She turned and led him back down the corridor to start checking the rest of the ship for damages.

“See if you can find any tools while your at it,” Ben shouts after them. after a pauses he adds, “oh, and a needle and thread,” they are not far enough away to miss Poe sigh and say in a consoling voice,

“it’s gone brother, you can’t save it, the rip is too big,”

“I know,” Ben sighed sadly. Rey smiles slightly and shakes her head. Finn just looks back toward the two men confused, like normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATION TIME!!!! :D :D :D
> 
> "por el amor de dios, ¿por qué esta MIERDA siempre me pasa a mí" = "for the love of god, why does this SHIT happen to me?"


	11. The Storm Has Arrived And It Bought A Wookie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the crew do a little maintenance and get a surprises visitor.  
> contained a little bit of Finnrey, with Ben playing the roll of wingman.  
> Grampa Ani makes an appearances.  
> :3

Ben Solo was elbow deep in the ventilation system of a ship that his father had spent the best part of two years looking for. He had used the sharp edge of the compressor chip (the one he had removed from the hyper dive) as a makeshift screwdriver. He had manged to open the vent that he had been fiddling with before Finn had nearly manged to crash the ship in the middle of open spaces. Inside was the tool kit that his father had given him on his eleventh birthday. Ben had hidden it in the vent for safe keeping. the vent also contained a tin that held his note books that he had filled with drawings and notes. There where photos of his family as well and a toy A.T.A.T. walker that Poe had given him once. They were his precious things. He could hear Tookie crawling around in the vents. It was the Cats favourite thing to do whenever they travel on this ship, he would only come out if Ben called him or if he was hungry. At the back of the vent just before it dropped off to join the rest of the system that covered the whole ship was a dusty leather belt that had two toy blasters in the holsters on the side. He had almost not seen it, he was eager to grab the tools and seal the vent back up, stars forbid Poe find his tin. He reached in and pulled the belt out, chuckling under his breath. He resealed the vent and returned to the smoking panel. The welding goggles that hung off the tool kits handle where too small for Bens face, he had grown a lot since the last time had used these tools. The kit lay next to him, the blaster belt too. Ben was using a screwdriver that was made for an eleven-year-olds hand; he was trying to wedge the fat edge under the fried circlet. he was slowly chipping away at the melted metal that was holding it in places. He had disconnected the chip stretching the wires around the burnout circuit allowing the system to continue running but it will burn itself out after about an hour. It would do for now while Ben fixed the circuit. Ben was using his ruined coat as a mat to kneel on.

“What are you up to?” his grandfather’s blue form appeared sat next to him leaning against the side of the panel. The ghost look around him curiously, he spotted the gun belt on the floor and scrunched his noses in disgust.

“Just a little maintenances, gramps,” Ben didn’t look up at the ghost as he worked on the circuit. The blue man pulled his knees up to his chest and watched his grandson work. He rested his head against the side of the panel. Ben worked in silences for about three minutes. His grandfathers sighed irritably,

“Pay attention to me Ben!” he whined “I’m boooored!” Ben chuckled. People always believe that his grandfather was either the monster he became towards the end of his life or the noble war hero and Jedi knight from the start if his life. What people fail to realise is that, he may have been born from the focus but he was still human, **very** human. Ask the ghost of Obi Wan Kenobi, he will tell you that Anakin Skywalker is a whiny little bitch.

“Go play poltergeist with Poe then, I busy.” His grandfather snorted and rolled his head on the side of the panel,

“Come on Ben im the forces ghost of your grandfather, im meant to be helping you, providing otherworldly wisdom on you journey of self-discovery!” Ben sat back and wiped his face with the back of his hand still holding the screwdriver. He looked at his grandfather,

“well the struggle im trying to overcome at the moment, is the bane of the fried circuit board. So unless you can help me remove this, your wisdom is not needed,” the ghost leaned forward and inspected the interior of the panel,

“you could uses the focus.” He suggested. Ben stiffened and returned to his work with the screwdriver,

“No.” he said in a clipped and humourless tone, his grandfather stood up and brushed off his robes out of habit,

“fine.” He said in a childish tone “im going to see my favourite (adoptive) grandson in the cockpit,” Ben smirked and stuck his tong out at his grandfather. He was glad for the change in tone. Ben didn’t like negativity; it only leads to bad things. His grandfather stuck is tong out back at him as he faded leaving Ben alone to continue working.

He heard the dull thud of boots out in the hall way, the low murmur of voices that was drifting down the hall, grew clearer.

“So you're with the Resistance?” it was Rey. from the echo in her voices he guessed that she was near the engineering bay just across from the room Ben was in. the squeak of the drawer on the tool cabinet, attached to the wall in the little alcove confirmed his idea. He was half listening to their conversation as he tried to prize the circuit out of its spot.

“Obviously. Yes, I am. I'm with the Resistance, yeah. I am with the Resistance.” Finn squeaked. Ben shook his head. That man would never do well in an interrogation. He was too jumpy.

“I've never met a Resistance fighter before.” She spoke softly. Ben though that she was smiling at Finn, going by the sound of her voice.

“Well, this is what we look like. Some of us. Others look different. I mean look at Ben and Poe they are completely different to me.” He heard Rey chuckle, Finn however had talked his way into a corner and couldn’t seem to stop “and BB-8 is technically part of the residences and it’s a droid, COMPLETELY different to me. So I’m not really a good example of the resistance, ah, I should stop talking now.” Rey’s chuckle had evolved into a soft laugh as Finn stuttered through his little speech. Rey said something else but the screwdriver that Ben had wedged under the circuit, must have severed the main lump of metal that was holding the circuit onto its support bar. The small board jumped out of the panel and Ben scrambled to grab it. He looked over the small chip. He needed a new wire to redirect the circuit around the burnt out fuses. He could hear the conversation again,

“what’s it like?” Rey asked. Ben’s head spun round and looked out the doorway. that was a loaded question, especially when Finn is winging it. Rey was knelt down in front of the engineering stationing looking in the bottom of a cupboard. Finn was leaning against the wall next to her. He was watching her as she worked,

“What’s what like?” he asked. She leaned back and looked at him,

“Being in the resistance, flying the X-wings, the base. Tell me about the base.” She smiled back at him. Ben stood up quickly. Finn was screwed; he didn’t even know what planet the base was on. Ben pulled out his note book and opened it to a blank page. He ripped the page out and pulled a pencil out of the back. He quickly scribbled on the page. Meanwhile Finn was stuttering his way through an excuse,

“I don’t know if it’s safe for me to tell you, umm, it might be a security risk, umm, you could, umm, I mean..” she looked at him again with an eyebrow quirked up and a completely unimpressed look on her face,

“Finn, considering all we have just been though, you question me now?” Finn swallowed, his eyes darted around madly, Rey tutted and returned to her cupboards. Finns madly darting eyes finally caught sight of Bens note. He was holding the pieces of paper at arm’s length hiding the rest of his body behind the door frame. The page had a crudely drawn image of a forest and a stick figure waving at flies over its head, a rain cloud with oversized rain drops. In the centre of the page was the world “D’Qar” in large scribbled letters. Finn’s eyes widened and he nodded. He coughed and looked back at Rey who was halfway inside the cupboard,

“well I guess I could tell you a little about the places,” he said, she leaned back slightly and smiled at him.

“I know your just trying to protect your people Finn, and I respect that. You don’t have to tell me much, I just, I just want to know what the place looks like. I have never seen a plaint that isn’t covered by desert” She looked down at her knees whispering the last part. Ben sat with his back to the wall next to the door way, he looked up from fiddling with the circuit board at this confection.  He was hit with the fact that she had never left that crap hole of a planet before. That she had missed out on all the beauties of the cosmos. She had never seen a sun set on Naboo or felt the frigid wind on Hoth. She has been stuck on that planet all her life. What a waste, he thought. He herd Finn sigh. He hoped that he also realized what she had just told him in confidences. He **really** hope that Finn had understood her. He didn’t want to be the only one to hear her plea when it hadn’t been for his ears,

“D’Qar is a beautifully planet, it is covered in trees.” He was talking quietly. Ben was pleased that Finn seemed to have understood her. He returned to examining the circuit board, “the weather is hot, not as hot as Jakku,” Rey chucked and Finn smiled “it’s hot and sticky, there are flies EVERYWHERE,” Ben was impressed, Finn was quite closes to what D’Qar was really like. Ben had removed one of his bracelets. He unclipped the catch and removed the charms and stones from it. This one had been a gift from his sister about three birthdays back. The charms where meant to bring luck and protection. He slid the charms into his back pocket, the other contained his note book. The bracelet binding was a platted wire rope. He reached over to his tool kit and picked up the cutters. He sniped the end off the platted wires, they began to unravel. Ben bent one of the wires around to fit in the circuit he needed bonding tape or a welding kit to attach it to the board. He stood to go find one but paused at the door frame. Finn was still talking quietly to Rey, “the forest is so green because it rains all the time,”

“what’s rain like?” Rey was entranced by Finns description of D’Qar it was cute really. She was still knelt down next to the cupboard but she was leaning against the side of it looking up at Finn who described a planet he had never been to. Ben didn’t want to ruin their moment. He paused and lent against the wall.

“Rain? It’s cool and refreshing but it can also be uncomfortable if you stay out in it for too long, it makes your cloths heavy and cold.” Finn was running out of things to tell her about. Ben decided as nice as there little moment was it needed to end. He walked out into the hall,

“Okay kiddies, times up. Pencils down. What have you found?” he said walking out into the hall. Rey spun round to face him looking a bit embarrassed. He purposely ignored her and walked over to the work bench, he dropped the circuit onto it. He then placed a handful of wires from his bracelet next to it. Rey stood up next to him. She placed a rusty looking spanner, two screws and bolt onto the workbench next to the board. She also put a roll of insulating tap that looked like it was nearly all gone,

“This is all we could find, the spanner and the screws where in the cargo holds but the tap was logged at the back of this cupboard,” she held up the tape to him,

“Perfect” he said taking the tape from her and turning towards the workbench, “thank you,” he chirped as he set to work wrapping the last of the tape around the wire. Rey blinked at him a shocked look on her face, a blush rising on her cheeks. She had never been thanked for doing something before. She looked down trying to suppress her reaction. After a second she stepped forward and looked over Bens shoulder at what he was doing. Ben stuck the wire onto the bored with a bit of tape it was a crude fix but it would work for now. He was about to return to the damaged panel to see if he could fix it a bit better, when Poe called them from the cockpit,

“Guys you better come and have a look at this.” He called. Ben sighed and put the chip down before turning towards the cockpit. When they arrived Poe was sat in the pilot seat, leaning over the controls. His grandfather was leaning against the back wall,

“What’s happening?” Ben asked walking strait over to co-pilot seat his eyes darting to the ghost behind him as he sat.

“This ship has shown a keen interest in us, they have been getting closer in the past five minutes,” Poe stood and looked out the viewing screen at the approaching ship. It was a large cargo ship.it was so moving slowly towards them. It didn’t seem to have any weapons on the sides of it. “Could it be Lando?” Poe asked Ben, “he had been looking for a way to get this ship back since before either of us where born.”

“No, it can’t be him; he is out in the Kathol sector doing stars knows what but it is probably illegal. I saw him last week before he headed that way.” Ben was checking the controls on the co-pilots side as Poe was leaning on the side of the control bored looking out the window still.

“They haven’t hailed us, they aren’t acting friendly. BEN! Who have you pissed off!?” Poe shouted at Ben. The stress was staring to show in his voices,

“If I had a week, I couldn’t list all of them. But one: I normally keep a good repore with my enemy’s and second: this is pa’s ship and if I had a life time I couldn’t name all the people he had pissed off.” Bens fingers skimmed over the controls. He was franticly trying to come up with a plan. Behind them Finn and Rey where looking form one brother to the other in confusion. They looked worried but as Ben and Poe where taking up both places at the console, all they could do was stand there. Ben paused as an idea stated to surfaces in is over worked and painful head. “Play dead.” He whispered,

“WHAT?” Poe said bordering on hysterical,

“Play dead! Poe calm down and listen. We need to release some of the spare fuel from the reserves and shut down all systems. We can even go so far as shutting off life support; we have some re-breathes in the cupboard.” Poe had calmed down a bit as his brother explained his plan,

“What if we get boarded?” he said moving to the controls again so he could dump the spare fuel,

“We can hide and ambush the bordering party, if they think there is no life on bored they will not as heavily armed as normal, Hopefully.” Ben was shutting systems off as he spoke. Rey moved up next to him and started helping with the shutdown.

“You say that a lot, don’t you,” she said. Finn was shacking behind her.

“Well, hope springs eternal.” He gave her a quick smile and turned back to Finn. “Grab the gas masks and meet us in the hall in two minutes.” Finn frowned at him and groped for something to say. Rey growled at the back of her throat and grabbed him by the arm. She pulled him down the hall shouting back at Ben and Poe,

“TWO MINUTES!”  The sound of their boot disappeared down the hall. Ben finished shutting off the engines only the emergences lights were flashing in the hall. They had about half an hour of oxygen left now that the system was off line, he left the gravity on for convinces. Poe had finished dumping the fuel he stood up and moved down the hall. BB-8 who had been cowering next to Poe in the pilot seat whizzed after him. Ben shut off the lights in the cockpit and jogged after them. Rey and Finn met them in the hall. Poe pointed towards the smugglers hole,

“We could hide in there?” he said Ben shook his head.  He looked around of the nearest vent to retrieve Tookie. He spotted the cat hiding behind one of the vents. He would be safe in there.

“Too small… cargo hold.” He said and sprinted in that direction. The clop of boots told him that the others where flowing him. He skidded on the metal floor and dropped to his knees. He wiggled is fingers under the grate that covered a maintenances hole. Poe dropped down next to him and helped him lift the grate. Poe jumped down and reached to help BB-8 down, he was uses to the droids wait. Rey shoved a mask into Bens hand and threw one down to Poe. Finn was struggling to pull his on. Rey who had already got hers on mover to help him,

“So do you have a boyfriend?” he asked her. Ben pulled his mask on, not the time mate, he though. She looked at him in confusion “a cute boyfriend?” Finn continued. Ben walked up behind Finn and pushed him towards the hole. Rey moved quickly and jumped in the hole before they got there.

“Interesting conversation mate, but not the right time.” He kicked Finn in the back on the leg and he toppled into the hole. Ben jumped down after him and pulled the gate back over them. He hunched down in the hole and waited. Silences seeped through the ship. There was no other noise other than the breathing from the other people in the small spaces. Suddenly there was a loud clang that echoed through the hall,

“Shit, they are boarding” Poe hissed at Ben

“Shut up I’m thinking” he hissed back. BB-8 cooed from between Poe’s knees. Rey and Finn where hunched together staring up though the small gaps in the grate. There was the hiss of the air lock and they grew quite again. The clomp of boots filled the ship now. Two people had entered. There was a sigh and a VERY familiar voice said,

“Chewie we are home.”


	12. Bickering Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and Ben discuses the details of what happens and Hans is struggling to understand. Rey and Finn just look on in confusion.

Ben’s heart rate tripled at the voice. When he saw his father in the past, at a variety of meeting places to discusses a job or if they happen to be in the same bars. He knew he could walk way at any time. But he was trapped now, in every senses of the word. He was going to have to faces him, there was no escaping it. The hole was suddenly too hot and there wasn’t enough air, the mask he was wearing was suffocating him. His skin stated to tingle stating just under his eyes it spread across his cheeks, over his noses and up his forehead. He heard Poe whispered something but his brain couldn’t seem to understand it. His eyes were glued to the tip of his boot that where pressing against the side of the hole. The tingling slid over his scalp pricking at his hair. He needed to get out of the hole he needed to ground himself. He can’t be freaking out now. His breathing grew heavy and his view of his boot stated to bluer slightly. A small slightly cold hand touched his arm that had wound its way tightly around his knees. The hand was colder than his arm, the shock knocked him out of his trances. He looked up and Rey was crouching next to him with a very concerned look on her face. Behind her Finn was watching with his normal terrified look. Behind him Poe was leaning forward trying to reach him, but the two bodies in the way as well as BB-8 stuck between his legs he couldn’t even get close. Poe knew how to knock Ben out of these attacks but he couldn’t get close enough to help. Above them the voice continued not knowing the drama below the floor,

“ha!” there was a clap above them, ”we found the old girl! Okay, check the cockpit.” There was a low growl and a set of footsteps moved down the hall. Rey tilted her head asking if he was alright. He nodded loosening his grip on his knees. He felt his body calm slightly, the tingling disappeared leaving his skin sensitive and cold. She leaned back next to Finn but when she moved her foot kicked against the side of the hole making a clang echo around the small spaces. Her eyes widened in fear as the sound rung out. Her eyes met Bens, he was going to hush her trying to calm her fear as there was no real danger. The sound of heavy boots on the floor above distracted the group. The grate above Ben was ripped away and a blaster pointed at him. There was a pause where the man above them looked down into the hole,

“Benny?” the man above him said, cocking his head looking down at Ben trying to see his face behind the mask. Ben slapped on his grin, swallowing down his anxiety. He lifted his hand and gave a little wave,

“Hi, pa” he was glad for the mask as hit hid his eyes, at the moment they were brimming with fear. Not the fear of the unknown like Finn but the fear of the known, the past, and the possibility that there might be a repeat. He unclipped his mask and as he was removing it he ducked his head to cover his faces, giving him a moment to get a grip. “And technically **I** found the ‘old girl’” Ben said as he pulled the hair that had escaped the band at the back of head out of his eyes. He stood up in the hole a soft growl behind him alerted him to his uncle holding the grate that had been ripped off the floor. The large Wookie gave Ben a fanged smile, chuffing a soft greeting to his nephew. Ben’s stomach settled a bit at the site of his uncle. Ben folded his arms on the edge of the hole and placed his chin on his arms. Hans Solo stared down at his son in disbelief,

“But how did you find her?” he spluttered. He was a bit shacked by the appearances of his son. Their relationship had soured quite spectacular after a certain event. Although it was a number of years ago Hans was still a bit jumpy around his son. “an… and how did you get here Benny? Aren’t you met to be on Nal Koska?”

“Oh you know the usual” Ben said waving a hand dismissively. He tried to make is voice sound calm and dismissive to but fear was making him talk quickly. He physical couldn’t look the greying man in the eye. “Daring rescue, impossible escape. All orchestrated by me of course.” There was a shout from deeper in the hole,

“qué cabrón!” Poe shouted. It was followed by a series of grunts and the sound of shuffling. Poe’s head popped out next to Ben’s. “Eres un mentiroso de mierda! Rey and Finn saved our asses while you had your head stuck in a vent!” Poe shouted his voice heavily accented pocking Ben in the shoulder. Ben knew he was over reacting on purposes. He was trying to get closes to Ben, to back him up, support him if he needs it. Hans threw his arms up in the air as Chewie grumbled in confusion,

“Of course Poe is here too!” he groaned. In the hole the argument continued.

“Hey! I was trying to fix this bucket of bolts and stop us from crashing us into the desert!” he pocked Poe back. Poe was an inch smaller than Ben so when he stood up in the opening he still had to glarer up at Ben,

“you where tinkering with the hyper dive while Finn was shooting down the TIE fighters and Rey was flying this ship!” the Wookie behind the two men gave a soft chuff of not quite annoyances by chagrin. The Wookie put the grate down and reached into the hole grabbing the two men by the scruff. Ben squawked as his baggy shirt was pulled up over his head his arms going up as he was pulled out of the hole. Poe yelped as his injured shoulder was moved. Hans was pinking the bridge of his nose as Chewie gently placed the boys on the floor in front of him,

“okay boys, lets start from the beginning. Where did you find the ship?” Ben felt his heart rate go up again standing in front of his father. Poe stepped in front of him slightly as he addressed Hans. Anyone else would have just though he was moving closer to talk to the man but he was also putting a barrier between Ben and Hans. Ben’s heart calmed again. He was thankful to his brother for helping him. Behind them Rey’s head popped out of the hole, Finn’s head more cautiously followed,

“Niima Outpost.” Poe said holding his arm again. Hans looked at him in disbelief.

“Jakku? That junkyard?” he said shaking his head. In the hole Finn turned to Rey

“Thank you! Junkyard.” He said Rey rolled her eyes and moved to puller herself out of the hole. Ben walked over and reached down to help her up. She took the offered hand. Rey put her foot on the edge of the hole and Ben pulled her out. She moved to stand behind Poe as Ben offered his hand to Finn who cowered in the hole.

“Told you, you should have double-checked the Western Reaches.” Ben muttered helping Finn pull himself out of the hole. As soon as he was out he hid behind Rey’s shoulder again. Ben folded his arms over his chest looking away from the older man. Hans gave Finn and Rey an odd look but didn’t raise any questions. Ben was thankful for that as he was running low on energy and didn’t feel like explain what happened,

“Who had it? Ducain?” he asked Poe as Ben was facing away from him.

“We stole it From Unkar Plutt. He stole it from the Irving Boys, who stole it from Ducain.” Rey said moving next to Poe pulling Finn along as he seemed glued to her back.

“Who stole it from me! Well, you tell him that Han Solo just stole back the Millennium Falcon for good.” Hans almost shouted as he spun on his heels and marched back down the corridor to inspect the rest of the ship. Ben breathed as he got further way. Rey stared at the retreating man,

“This is the Millennium Falcon! You're Han Solo!” she said looking around the ship again with wide eyes. Finn was stood behind her looking more confused that fearful now.

“I used to be.” Hans said as he turned down the hall to the cockpit. Poe and Chewie where retrieving BB-8 from the bottom of the hole and resealing it. Ben turned towards the man how had disappeared down the hole,

“You still are, Pa” he called softly after him, Rey turned to him her face full of questions,

“Pa?” was the only question she asked,

“Pa.” he said looking down at her confused that she didn’t know what ‘Pa’ meant. “it’s short for Papa, which means father”

“oh,” she said looking down at her feet, she moved over to help Poe with BB-8. Ben watched her go. he felt the sadness wash off her through the forces. His grandfather would have probably had something to say about his subtle uses of the forces but as Hans was here he would only appear when Ben was alone to complain about the other man. A soft growl came from beside him. His uncle stood there, the Wookie lifted an arm offering a hug. Ben smiled and landed into the mass of fur. He felt the Wookie’s strong arms wrap round him. He felt safe for the first time in 48 hours.


	13. Blast From The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi guys! im not dead (yet) the past month and a half have been quite hard on me but this fic is still going (beaten and half starved) but still going! this is a little preview of the next chapter it is completely out of context but this chapter is more background on Ben and what has fuck up his pretty little head in this universes :3
> 
> Edit: here is the full chapter!!!! finaly (please dont kill me) it has taken far to long for me to write this and i am truely sorry im back at uni now do i dont think my updates are going to get any better. but the good news is im still not dead (yet)

 

Fur engulfed the small boy as he clung to his uncle’s shoulders giggling. The heavy wait of his father’s welding goggles hung around his neck clinking as he wiggled. His uncle chuffed softly as he carried Ben down the hall of the dark, temple like building. Ben couldn’t see over the hairy shoulder,

“Papa! where are we going?” Ben was twelve, his voices hadn’t broken yet. Hans looked back over his shoulder at his friend and his son. He grinned as looked back at their escort,

“we are just going to visit an old friend, and see if he had any work for us.”  Ben pulled himself up and peeked over the Wookie’s shoulder. He smiled brightly at his amazing father; he walked like he owned the places but didn’t seem to care that he did. They had reached a big set of double doors. Two guards stood outside the room. Before they entered Chewie lowered Ben to the ground. The child stood proudly next to his father as the doors swung open. The room revealed was gloomy and full of sweet smelling smoke people whispered clinging to the walls like rats, afraid to move into the open square in the centre of the room. At the far end of the spaces there was a small raised platform that was covered in custions.as Bens eyes adjusted to the gloom he started to make out a large shape lying on the pillows. He knew it was alive as every now and then a puff of smoke would be blown into the air. A gray slug shape thing sat up as they walked further in. The confidences that Ben had when they first entered quickly evaporated. He slowed slightly so he was between his father and his uncle. A beep guttural voice, slowly echoed around the room hushing the already quite room.

“Solo” it said with distaste. Hans walked forward a large smile pinned onto his faces. He had his hands raised in greeting,

“Glelb, old friend! It is good to see you.” The creature raised what must have been its eye brow, but Ben couldn’t tell. It put a pipe into its mouth and blew a smoke ring into the gloomy air.

“hi chuba da naga Solo?” the creature named “Gleb” said Ben blinked at the strange language it was thick and heavy. He instantly didn’t like it. He moved closer to his uncle who hadn’t strayed far from the door.

“just thought I would drop by and see if you had any work for your good friend.” Hans stood facing the slug still grinning. The creature laughed. The awful sound echoed around the room,

“ha! an wata jee canta uba peee wata bai wamma bu uiuba u wamma wonka.” Hans flinched but only for a second. But Ben still saw it and frowned at his father. He felt worry pool in his stomach.

“come on Glelb why do you think I was going to give you half my profit from any job I do for you. You have my word that you will get your money eventually,” Hans had tensed his shoulders as he was talking, his stances had become more defensive than when he had first entered.

“mee " word" doesnt gee kiuke douonla cay mi mo mah yae kae cuee,” Glelb remove the pipe from his mouth as he spoke. he looked down as he refilled it. As he rolled his large eyes back up to Hans they caught sight of Ben peeking out from behind the man in front of him. “bo shuda rin bo” he said with a evil smile. he leaned down towards Ben. Ben cocked his head in confusion. Sitting back up Glelb turned back to Hans, “your child doesn’t speak Hutt.” He said with distaste. Ben stood up strait and moved away from his father putting his hands on his hips.

“Hey! If you have a complaint about me tell it to my faces! Its not my fault that out of the three languages I know one isn’t your silly butt language!” Ben pulled himself up to his full height but he was still smaller than smallest person in the room. The room was quite after he finished speaking. The large slug rolled his eyes away from the small boy to his father how was shaking his head. Ben felt quite chuffed that he had stood up for himself but when he looked at his father’s faces he saw disappointment. This knocked Ben’s confidences as he thought that he would be proud that he stood up for himself. A low throaty laugh echoes around the room. Ben whipped his head up to look at the slug that now boomed laughter. Hans took the opportunity to grab Bens arm and drag him back towards his uncle and the door. Hans pushed Ben out the door closing it as he said,

“ Just stay out here kid, don’t move don’t do nuthing. Just stay there you are the statue that guards this door now.” The door clicked shut. Ben huffed and crossed his arms. He leaned against the door frame to wait. He glanced at the closet guard. The man was stood to attention staring at the far wall sternly. Ben leaded away from the wall to look up at the man, the welding goggles that he still had hanging round his neck clinked as he leaned. The man didn’t move. A small evil smile creeped onto the small boys face. Ben stuffed his hands in his pockets and wondered over to the guard and stood directly in front of him. The guard didn’t even look at him. He paused and tilted his head looking up at the guard. Ben cautiously extended his arm and poked the guard in the noses. Ben jumped back expecting the guard to swipe at him. He didn’t even flinch. Ben grinned evilly again and knelt down in front of the guard and started to undo his lases. The guard on the other side of the door was grinning too. As Ben expertly knotted the guard lasses together raise voices could be heard inside the room. Ben looked up from his work in time to see his uncle burst out of the room. The Wookie roars and grabs Ben. scooping him over his shoulder and taking off down the hall. Ben was bouncing around with a mouth full of fur. He didn’t know what was going on. Suddenly something wraps around Chewie’s legs coursing him to fall. Ben is thrown the further down the hall. He sits up quickly but doesn’t move. he looks back at this uncle who is trying to untangle his legs. The other guard is running after them. The one ben had tied his lases together had thrown the sling that had tripped his uncle. More guards where spilling out of the room. Ben saw his father being held by one but he seemed to not be struggling, he isn’t looking at them. The new guards run up to Chewie and pip him down he is roaring at ben but the panic in his voice is making it hard to understand. Ben watches his uncle be bound and dragged away from him in shock. A guard walks up to him and pull him up by his arm. The man keeps his grip on his arm as he is dragged back to the room. As he passes Hans Ben shouts,

“Papa what’s going on?” the guard tugs him past him but Hans doesn’t look at him. he seems to be deliberately ignoring the scared boy. Chewie is still roaring as the doors close. Ben is stood in the centre of the room again on his own aside for the guard holding him in place. He can feel his heart in his throat making it hard to breath. With wide eyes he looks at the slug. It puffs on his pipe and staring back at him. Ben tries to speak but all that he can manage is a perfectic squeak. The slug looks at one of the guards next to his platform,

“Tee him tonka tchuta “ the unnerving voice mutters. The guard nods and walks up to Ben taking his other arm and nods to the other guard. Together they almost pick Ben up and drag im out of the room.

“where are you taking me?” Ben finally manages to find his voice. “PAPA!” he screams his voice echoing down the halls “PAPA HELP ME! HELP ME PLEASE!” tears start to build up in his eyes and his heels skip on the hard stone floor. He tries to wiggle free but the guards just grip him tighter. “HELP!” he screams at the top of his lungs. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a blue figure jogging after them. He looks not much older than Ben but he had baggy Padawan cloths and a braid bouncing on his shoulder as he runs.

“Ben! what’s happening?!” it said. The tears where starting to blur Ben vision. He felt helpless.

“PAPA WHERE ARE YOU!” he voice cracked half way though his shout hurting his voices. They had reached a door in the long corridor it was small and made of wood. It didn’t look like a prison door. One of the guards pulled it open. It is dark inside and the air smell musty, the guards pull him inside. They march up to a wall and drop him. Ben falls to the floor with a thud. He goes to get up but one of the guards places his boot on his back. Ben stilled fear taking over his face pushed into the dirt floor trying to get his breathing under control. He heard the clink of chains. The boot was removed and one of the guards grabbed his hair pulling his head up Ben screamed aging at the pain squeezing his eyes shut something cold was tightened around his neck. His hair was released and he fell forward again the guards grabbed one of his hands each and more cold was tightened around his wrists. There was a finale click and the guards stood and left through the door closing it behind them. Ben stood up quickly and looked around the blue figure fazed through the door and ran over to him. Bens breathing was erratic but he took a deep breath and screamed,

“PAPA!!!!!!!”

*********************

"he is not coming back, is he." it was a statement not a question. Ben's voices was slightly choked by the iron collar that was tight on his neck. the chain that it was attached to was heavy against his back. the other two chains that where attached to the cuffs on his hands pulled his wrists down against his side as he watched the door. the teenage image of his grandfather knelt protectively next to him. his shoulders tenses and his hands clenched tightly by his side his padawan braid swinging slightly as he breathed. he radiated a soft blue light. It does nothing to hide the rage in the ghosts eyes as he also watches the door. He looks back at the boy next to him and his eyes soften. Ben dropped down onto his bum the chains clinking as that hit the ground with him. he pulled his knees up resting his elbows on them. he pushed his hands through his hair as clenched his teeth together. he squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to cry. he was twelve for stars sake. that double digits. double digits DON'T cry. Bens breathing became ragged his heart beat picking up as the full reality of his situation dawned on him. He sat up on his knees and drew a circle in the dust around him muttering soothing about a safe place. He sat back and put his head between his legs rocking himself gently. he felt his grandfathers arm wrap around his shoulder trying to comfort him. Ben takes a long slow breath pushing the lump out of his throat. he pulls his hands out of his hair and rested them on his knees he opened his eyes blinking about the tears that had snuck out his eyes. the chains clinked at his movement. his grandfather had knelt down next to him he had one arm over him protectively as he surveyed the room they had been chained up in.

"i think we are on our own for this one Benny. we need to think of a way out, or at least get these chairs removed." Anakin gently touched the collar around Ben's neck examining it trying to find a way of removing it. the clasp at the front seems to have an electronic key, it would be impossible to remove without the code. and to try might prove to be fatal for Ben. the ghost frowned at the devices. gently pushing Ben's chin up so he could get a better look at the metal eye that held the end of the chain attached to the collar. Ben tilted his head back rubbing a hand over his cheek removing the tears. he looked around the room outside his little circle. there is what looks like a work shop at one end of the room. tools litter a bench and the smell of oil fills the room. Ben squints towards the corner in the gloom trying to see more.

"removing the collar is out of the question, but i think we could remove this chain. if we could get hold of some tools." Anakin shifted back on his haunches and looked towards the door that let to freedom. Ben was still staring at the other end of the room.

"so what your saying is we need a well stocked work shop such as a speeder repair station?" Anakin stood up and walked over to the door.

"yep," He said as he stuck his head though the door. Ben didn't see this oddity he was still describing the work station at the end of the room. Ben stood up. He looked at the edge of the circle he had draw like it was the edge of a cliff dropping off to sharp rocks sticking out of dark evil waters below. Taking a deep breath he carefully hoped over the line and cautiously moving towards the work station the heavy chains making his progress slow. the chains let him reach the first row of shelf but he couldn't reach the end of it.

"so what you are telling me is we need a fully stocked work station to remove my chains." as he said this he search the shelf for tools.

"that what im saying Ben" Anakin said pull his head back into the room, he frowned at Ben but it evaporated when he saw where his grandson was. "oh," he said and quickly moved over to him. Ben grinned at him but sadness was still pooling in his eyes. the two Skywalker's spent some time poking around in the shelf. well Anakin couldn't poke so he just looked. it became clear that the room was normally used to repair speeders or droids not normally as a cell. the eyelet that Ben was chained to was probably used to chain up some sort of beast. as Ben was going through a box of knickknacks his grandfather gave a triumphant shout. he pulled his torso out from the stack of shelves on the far wall.

"there is a blowtorch in that box." he said to Ben. the boy tried to hurry over to the ghost but he was stopped with a truncated squawked the chain attached to the collar cut short suddenly. Ben was pulled onto his back. the wind knocked out of him. he felt the tears from earlier build up in his eyes again. he ground his teeth together in an effort not to cry. the face of his grandfather appeared over him.

"BEN are you okay?" it was at times like this that he wished that his grandfather was really there so he could hold him. he really wanted someone to hug him right now. a small squeak slipped out of his throat as he tried not to cry again. he slowly sat up and reached for his neck the metal had warmed to his body temperature but it was still odd not being able to touch the skin of his neck. he swallowed the lump in his through again but the collar made it hard.

"im okay" he crocked out. slowly he stood up, wobbling slightly. "how am i going to get the torch if i can more past here?" his grandfather knelt next to him is head came up to his shoulder. (Ben hadn't had his growth spurt yet) he looked up at the teary eyed boy and regretted what he was going to have to ask of him now. he sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ben, i know this is going against everything i have taught you, but you are going to have to uses the forces." Ben's eyes blow wide with fear he backup towards his circle jumping back over the like fearing that his may smudge it.

"NO! no! i don't want to! no." he shook his head defiantly, he wrapped his arms around his torso palming a spot under his shirt. he turned away from the blue man, "they used it at the academy during the attack. i saw one of them pick up a padawan and throw them against the wall. the sound he made when he hit the wall still haunts me." Anakin approached the boy who was trembling slightly. he put both hands on his shoulders turning him to look at him. he knelt again to he could look into his eyes.

"Ben what you witnessed at the academy was the dark side of the forces. that is only half of the power we are blessed with. the light side is the complete opposite of the dark. this doesn't mean they are good, they just don't kill. however there cant be light without the darkness as i have said before. the only thing that matters is that you do what you think is wright with your power." Ben refused to look at his grandfather. the tears that he had reused to let fall earlier soaked his cheeks now. he sniffed and rubbed the heel of his hand over his cheek smearing dust from the floor across his faces. "sometimes we have to do things we don't want to." Anakin lifted his hand and placed it on Ben's faces turning it to look at him. as the hand had no matter it faded into his face slightly until the cold sensation made Ben turn his head. "Ben, all you have to do is move something closes to you, its not going to causes anyone harm. its like playing with the raindrops." Ben smiled slightly at the happy memory, he sniffed ones more and wiped his arm across his faces wiping away his tears.

"okay, lets get out of here." Ben walked to the end of his chain and sat down crossed legs. he took up the position that his uncle had drilled into him from his first day in the academy. he let himself relax and feel the forces move around him. he gave himself a moment to attune to the energy. he remember sitting under the blossom tree at the academy on rainy days in the same potion catching raindrops and forming shapes out of the water. letting out a calm breath he opened his eyes and locked them on the box that held the blow torch,

"focus Ben, let the forces flow through you. you are its vessel, mould it to your will," Ben felt the power around him flutter and move. he stretched out a hand willed the blowtorch to move into his hand. nothing happen for a second then the box on the shelf moved slightly. Ben breathed careful in though his noses and out through his mouth and focused on the box. he felt the power move around him towards the box it moved violently and fell off the shelf with a thud. Ben started at the noises. the soft cold of his grandfathers hand on his shoulder reassured him,

"you are doing well Ben, try again," Ben huffed feeling tired after the first attempted. but he sat up strait again and returned to the focused state. the box twitched towards him slowly. when it came close enough Ben opened his eyes and unfolded his legs he stuck one out and kicked the box closer to him. Ben reached into the Box and pulled out the blow torch and the spark stick he moved back over to where the chain was attached to the wall. he knelt down placing the torch on the floor in front of him he griped the spark stick in his hand ready to light the torch but he paused. he stared at the torch for a moment, he heard his grandfather shuffle behind him confused at his delay. Ben pushed himself up and trotted over to the shelf he could reach followed by a jangle of chains. he grabbed a screw driver that he had seen earlier and thought about using to pries open the eyelet but it didn't look strong enough. as he walked back he looked around for material.

"what are you doing Ben"

"when i start cutting the chain it is going to spark so i need some sort of cover to protect me form them. i still have Pa's goggles so they will protect my eyes..." an idea popped into his head he started pulling the jacket off his back laying it out on the floor. he paused again looking at the jacket it was a nice jacket. he really liked it. it had "Solo Jr" embroider on the back. he sighed and pressed the screw driver into fabric. he flinched at the sound of the rip. he cut a slices down the back of the jacket and slipped the chain into the rip. he maneuverer the mutilated fabric around so the first link in the chain attached to his collar was poking out of the fabric. pulled up the goggles that where still hanging around his neck. he turned slightly and picked up the blow torch and the spark stick. he clamped the torch between his knees and turned on the gas. he quickly squeezed the spark stick and the torch hissed to life. tucking the fabric closes to his goggles with one hand he pinched the chain through the fabric of the jacket pulling it tight he brought the torch up to the chain link. the second the torch met the link sparked flew everywhere. squinting though the bright light Ben slowly cut through the chain. the chain fell away from his collar with a merry jingle. he shuffled around, still with the torch hissing, until he had the chain attached to the manacles on his wrist in the same position. this one was easier to cut through it clinked away the jacket was now smouldering from the sparks. he shuffled around again pulling the last chain though the rip in the jacket. he swapped the blowtorch into the other hand and wobbly cut though the last chain. it fell away with a dull thud Ben twisted the gas nob off silencing the blowtorch he pulled the goggles off his head and dropped them onto the ground. he pulled the ruined jacket off his arm and dropped that as well. Ben stood up and looked at the manacles on his wrists he reached up to the rolled up sleeve of the scruffy work shirt he was wearing. it belonged to his dad so when the sleeve was unwound it covered his hand, on the tips of his fingers sticking out. he did the same fore the other hand and then pulled the collar of the shirt up to cover the metal surrounding his neck. he sighed again and felt the cold hand on his shoulder. he looked down at the jacket again, smoke drifting up from where it was still smouldering,

"looks like its just you and me now gramps," he turned and smirked at the blue man,

"i hope you’re not going to start calling me that, it make me sound old." he crossed his arms and smirked back at his grandson. Ben turned towards the door and pulled it open slightly,

"there’s no one there, i checked earlier," Ben pushed open the door and slipped out. they made it two corridor before Ben got cocky and tried sneak past a "sleeping" guard saying he had seen it a hundred times on holovids. the guard was a large bulkier alien that simply picked Ben up in one hand and carried him down the hall. as his unseen grandfather trotted along behind him scolding him and defining the differences between holovid and reality. big double door open and Ben was dumped in front of his captor again.

"solo spawn" the creature spat from the smoky gloom. Ben sat up on his knees. he wasn’t as scared as he was the last time he was in here. He knew you could rely on himself. a thought popes into his head. so Ben Solo, for the first time grinned and said,

"And good afternoon to you sir. I have a propitiation to make..." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i honestly just need a hug right now :(
> 
> edit: still need that hug


	14. Han Solo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> new year new chapter. im not going to lie (not that i ever did) 2016 really bit me in the ass. i hope 2017 is better for me you and every one else. stay strong my friend. here is a new chapter to make you fell better. oh! if you haven't yet go back and read the last chapter. i put a preview up a few months ago and i have updated it less than a few months ago so it makes senses now and there is a lot more story in it now. hope you enjoy and as always leave a comment on how i can make it better or if you want to be a beta (I REALLY NEED ONE) my tumbler is on here somewhere so look me up :3

Rey looked at the door way that Hans had just gone though, she could feel the tension in the air fade. Finn who had relaxed now that there was no immediate threat turned to her and said

“Han solo the rebellion general?” she looked at him surprised at how he could get something so wrong.

“No the smuggler” she corrected him. She looked back at the other men. The Wookie had released Ben and was chuffing softly to him as they put the panel back over the maintenance hole. Poe was checking on BB-8. BB-8! She remembered that they need to get the droid to the resistances.

“Wasn’t he a war hero?” Finn asked behind her. The Wookie rumbled and answer. Poe chuckled and Ben huffed though his noses,

“well if you believe half of the storied that he told us when we were little. He single handily led the resistances to victory” he was stood with his arms crossed next to the Wookie who had retrieved his weapon. It seemed to be some sort of crossbow but it had what looked like a blaster bolt at its centre. Ben came to just below the creatures chin; he had an unimpressed frown on his face. It was the first time Rey had seen a negative emotion that wasn’t fear or pain on his faces. She was confused. she had often imagined what it would be like to meet her father again, she thought it would be a happy moment full of hugs and laughed. The way the two solos acted was like they hated the sight of each other. Rey shook her head; the more outsiders she met the more she didn’t understand them. she started walking towards where Hans had disappeared when she heard a shout form the cockpit, And the grumpy, greying man appeared quickly in the corridor,

“Hey! Some moof-milker put compressor on the ignition line!” he marched past her towards Ben and Poe. The tension was back in a flash. She looked back at Ben and saw him stand strait up and grind his teeth like he was about to confront someone.

“Unkar Plutt did.” She almost shouted to get the attention back on her. Hans turned towards her his hands on his hips. The Wookie tipped his head and growled lightly, “I thought it was a mistake too, puts too much stress on…”

“the hyperdrive” Han said at the same time as she did. He was looking at her with an almost smile on his faces. She smiled back feeling proud at someone as well renowned as Han Solo agreed with her. The look suddenly dropped and he turned back to Ben.

“Ben. Why aren’t you on Ylesia?” before Ben could give him an answer he turned to Poe who was trying to hide behind BB-8 “and you, you should be on D’Qar! The general would not allow one of her bests pilot to go joyriding around the outer rim with a smuggler!” the Wookie moaned behind Ben,

“Chewie’s wright, you can’t talk she married you. Im here as Kaydel sent me a message saying, Mr ‘BestPilot’ here was in trouble.” Ben gestured towards Poe his movement where stiff and fast. “ and Gelb trust me enough that I can go where I want, without having to answer to anyone, and if I get into trouble he trusts me to get out of it” Hans tensed visibly. Rey watched him curiously. He spun around and almost marched back towards the cockpit.

Chewie, throw 'em in a pod, we'll drop them at the nearest inhabited planet. You boys can make it back from there.” Chewie moans behind him. Ben nodded, turning towards Poe as he stood up, Finn looked frightened again. He looked at Rey.

 “Wait! No” she shouted after the man. He turned his head but kept walking, “we need your help!” this caught his interest and he stops turning towards her again. Ben’s face turned towards her as well.

“My help?” Hans asked curiously raising an eyebrow at her.

“This droid has to get to the Resistance base as soon as possible” she stated plainly. She looked back at Finn and Poe for backup she didn’t think Ben would be in the mood to help. Poe nodded at Han supporting her clam. Finn moved forward and stood next to her,

“He's carrying a map to Luke Skywalker.” He also stated. However this wasn’t met with the confident nod from Poe. In fact he yelped and ran behind Chewie. As Poe dived for cover Ben surprised Rey once again by angrily shouting “WHAT!” and jumping at Poe. Rey realised how strong Ben really was when he lifted Poe up by his shirt and shook him “YOU BASTERED! YOU HAD THE MAP TO UNCLE LUKE AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO TELL ME!!!” Poe couldn’t answer the grip on his shirt was causing his collar to choke him. Finn ran to help Poe but realised as he got to the pair there wasn’t anything he really do. There was a loud rawr from the Wookie and the beast wrapped an arm around Poe and put a hand on Bens shoulder tearing to two apart. He put Poe down who promptly collapsed on the floor. Finn ran over to help him. He dropped down on to his knees as Poe coughed and hugged his shoulder. Chewie was standing in front of Ben pinning his arm to his sided as the smuggler tried to get to the pilot. He was moaning and growling trying to calm Ben down. Rey moved to help (who she didn’t know) but a hand on her shoulder stopped her form moving. Ben had stopped shouting at Poe. Rey saw something that made her freeze to the spot in fear. Bens eyes where different, they had a gold sheen to them; she felt her heart crawled up into her throat. Ben shook Chewie off and marched away threw the entrances hatch giving it an aggravated kick as he went. The clang echoed though the ship and his boots clanged their way down the ramp. they grew more muffled the further away he got. A manic scrabbling sound was the only noises that followed. Suddenly Tookie kicked off the vent cover above the door dropped down. He was after Ben before Rey could fully realises what was going on he became a light sandy blur shooting out of the ship. Then it grew quite apart from Poe’s coughs and Finns scared breathing. She then noticed BB-8 had his shock arm out. The droid was hastily retracting the appliances and whizzing over to Poe, Beeping in a panic. She wondered how many shocks Ben had taken, he hadn’t even flinched. Rey heard a grunt from behind her.

“I would like to say he gets his temper from his mother, but…” Hans shrugged and let go of Rey’s shoulder. Chewie moaned he was staining at the door way that Ben had stormed though; “go after him then,” Hans answered the Wookie. Chewie shook his head, turning away from the door growling to himself. Han walked up to Poe and clapped him on the back “you alright lad?” Poe nodded; he is still hunched over his knees with Finn holding him protectively. Finn looks up angrily,

“What the HELL! What got into him” Poe sat up letting Finns arms unwind from him BB was still on the other side of Poe Beeping quietly.

“That*cough* that was my fault I should have warned you not to mention Luke,” Poe said weakly. This asked more questions than it answered for both Rey and Finn. Finn’s anger gave him confidences he looked up at Hans,

“You are the Han Solo that fought with the Rebellion. You knew him.” A dark shadow came over Hans at the question. Rey was stood on the other side of the little room watched him as he looked down,

“Yeah, I knew him. I knew Luke.” She said quietly he looked like he was going to continue but a loud metallic clunk sounded though the ship. Hans head shot up and Chewie moaned. Hans moved quickly towards the exit “Please tell me that was Ben.” He muttered as he passed Rey. She moved to follow him. She reached to ramp and looked out into the cargo hold of another ship. This one was bigger. Cargo crated where everywhere. Sitting against one a few feet from the ramp was Ben. He had folded his long limbs under him. Tookie was curled on his lap. Ben looked like he had been trying to relax or take a nap but he was sat up write looking around the hanger. He looked up at the movement on the ramp,

“what was that?” he shouted his voice echoed around the large room. Hans grunted ignoring the other man. The older smuggler trotted down the ramp and took off towards a computer panel. Rey head Finn and Chewie helping Poe walk over to her. She continued down the ramp walking past Ben who stood up as well putting Tookie on his shoulders the Cat seemed uneasy standing up and looking around when it would normally just wrap around Bens neck like and expensive scarf. It was odd seeing Ben without his coat. She may have only known him for a few hours but his coat was a big part of his personality. His white puffy shirt that still had his dried blood around the collar, the sleeves ending in his jangly bracelets with their charms. His dark trousers that hugged his long legs weren’t what she thought of when though of pyjamas but they did look like a man in his nigh cloths, not really read, out of uniform. “what’s going on?” he asked her as his father sped passed him. She looked up at his eyes. They were back to the familiar friendly brown. She shrugged and moved to follow Han. Ben fell into step next to her. Finn, Chewie and Poe where making their way after him as well. Ben and Rey caught up with Hans in one of the ships hallways. She was tapping at a screen that showed the whole ship,

“Don't tell me a Rathtar's gotten loose…” he muttered to himself. Ben shook his head and stared at his father Rey haded seen shock on his face yet but it was worth the wait. To see his normally composed and mischiefs face shaken was both hilarious and terrifying.

 “Wait … a what?! Did you just say Rathtars? Hey!” Hans took off towards a different computer. Ben ran after him reaching for his shoulder to stop him. Rey hearing the fear in his voice ran after him as well. Finn and Chewie stood on either side of Poe, BB-8 was rolling around behind him. Fear covered Finns face again,

“You're not hauling Rathtars on this freighter, are you?” panic edged his voices as well. Poe who was bordering on exhaustion and leaning on Chewie looked up scared as well. Hans was not paying attention to the group,

“I'm hauling Rathtars.”he muttered under his breath as he found what he wanted on the console. Rey and Ben moved forward to see as well. It was an exterior cam on the ship it was showing a new ship docking. It looks like a transport ship. Hans visibly tense again but this time it doesn’t seem to be because of his son standing behind him. “Oh great. It's the Guavian Death Gang -- they must've tracked us from Nantoon.” Ben growled, annoyed, under his breath. He looks like is going to say something but Hans spins around and nearly walks into Ben as he takes off down a corridor. Ben follows instantly with Rey on his heels as they spend though the corridor an out of breath Rey asks,

“What's a Rathtar?” Rey caught up to Ben as his long stride meant he could keep paces with his father. There where cargo containers lining the hall that walked down. Hans looked back over his shoulder at Rey,

“They're big and dangerous...” he said as Finn, Poe and Chewie caught up with them.

“Y'ever heard of the Trillia Massacre?!” Finn butted in. Rey looked back at him confused, she didn’t like being the one left out of the loop,

“No.” she said

“Good.” Ben Poe and Finn said at the same time. She looked between the men slightly irritated that she wasn’t getting answers. As they came round a corner Hans decided to fill them in more.

“I got three of 'em going to King Prana.” He said not looking back at them. Ben is scowling at the man now. Finn laughs manically grabbing at his head.

“what dose he wasn’t with Rathtars?” Ben askes, glaring a hole in the back of his father’s head.

“non’ of my business,” Hans said dismissively. Finn speeds up a few steps to keep up with Ben and Rey

“THREE?!” he half shouts half whispers, “How'd you get them on board?” Hans passes and looks back at Finn. His eyes then dart up to Ben. Ben narrows his eyes at Hans who looks away quickly and continues to speed down the corridor. Finn and Rey look at Ben who is about to say something when Poe who is being held up by Chewie now weakly asked,

“bigger crew?” Ben huffs and the tension drops from his shoulders. He walks back to Poe wrapping an arm round his torso. Poe is now almost carried after Hans between the Wookie and the smuggler. As they walk Ben mutters

“yeah, there uses to be a bigger crew,” Chewie whines a confirmation.


	15. Mah Kanwon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I AM ALIVE!!!! sorry but the outernet had held me captive for so long.i cant promise that i will regualy update this but write my other fic for a tiny insignificant fandom had given me back my writing mojo. so once again enjoy some background on Why The Solos Hate Each Other!  
> Comment keep me writing <3 <3 <3

Hans Solo was scared. But if anyone asked he would deny it to his dyeing breath. His hands where sweating and he could feel his heart in his throat. Even escaping the death-star hadn’t scared him this much. Leia stood next to him. She refused to hold his hand, she had refused to even talk to him for months after what happened. It was only when Lando brought news bout Ben that had spurred her to talk to him again but that was years ago now. They stood at the back of a crowd of creatures form all corners of the galaxy. They were on Makeb. Leia shoulders where stiff and aggression radiated off her. The landscape around them was as pleasant as it could get on Makeb. They were high up above the smog that hung around the lower plateau a stream leading to a waterfall curved around the other side of the reception area that had pathing slabs of cool stone covering the soggy muddy ground. Some of the more relaxed creatures where sitting on the stone benches that where placed beside the small stream filling the air with an assortment of languages. A gazebo with intricately detailed curtains was tucked into an alcove that was dug out of the wall, the interior was shaded and dark but now and then a server would walk in with a large drink and walk out with an empty cup. It looked out over the edge of the ledge that the waterfall dropped off. A meatal platform had been built out over the ledge. It was a landing spot for cargo ships. The atmosphere around the river and the gazebo was relaxed but where Hans and Leia where standing was a little off to the left with a crowd of other being that where here to talk with the occupants of the gazebo. the places seemed serine and calm but every now and then a heavily armoured guard would pass by. Hans felt the anger rise in his throat at being made to wait like some petulant child. He was just building up the courage to march forward and demand an audients when a goblin like creature came scuttling down from its perch above the gathering and skitter over to the gazebo. A hush fell across the people as the creatures scratchy language could be heard from inside the tent. There was a squawk from the creature and the curtains where thrown back. Hans gritted his teeth as the large bulbous form of Preddlirg Glelb came into view. He was holding a half empty drink in one hand and rested his other tiny hand over his stomach as he slid out from the shaded area. The creature trotted along next to him. The roar of the ships engines could be heard before it was seen. A large slightly tattered looking cargo ship rose out of the smog bellow and slowly settled its self on the platform. Gelb paused halfway across the patio a server appeared form nowhere carrying an umbrella they held it over the Hutts head as he watched the ship land. The squeaking of the ramp being lowered filled the air. There was a dull thud as it hit the ground leading towards the Hutt. A figure began to swagger down the ramp. They wore a jacket with a hood covering his head, a scarf covered the bottom of their face as thick welding googles covered the top half. A dark blue shirt was worn under the jacket and tanned workman’s trouser covered their legs the trouser where ripped and torn at the bottom and had signs of stitching where previous rips had been higher up. The jangle of bracelets could be heard as the figure confidently walked towards the Hutt. They had a sack swung over one shoulder. The hidden figure wasn’t the only occupant to descend the ramp. A large meccanoid jerkily made its way down the ramp following a slim individual that wore heavy armour and carried her helmet under one arm. The meccanoid was leading a large creature that looked like it had seen better day. Its hands where bound and it limped when it walked. The new arrivals reached the bottom of the ramp and the first one threw their arms wide and shouted,

“Papa Slug!” he took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around the Hutt. The Hutt patted him on the back, looking down at the much smaller humanoid,

“Mah Kanwon, you have returned successful I see,” the Hutt said slowly in his thick accent.

“Would you expect anything less of me? Now where is Mrs Slug I got her some new coats while I was away?” the human patted the sack he was carrying and looked around the Hutt back into the gazebo. a deep but feminine voice called out from the shade,

“woy kaee naa? doth da mah bukee? doth goo bata?” a hover chair slowly made its way out of the gloom. The female Hutt that sat on it was larger than Glelb. She sped up when she saw the figure standing next to the other Hutt. “Mah Kanwon! Your home!” she hovered next to the human and had to lower herself before she could reach the head of the being she pulled back the hood reviling long wavy black hair with deep brown  highlights. She petted his hair as she greeted him. The human laughed and hugged the female Hutt as best he could. She clapped her tiny hands when she saw the sack, “oooh, chayanh che mi?” she asked already knowing the answer. As the human started pulling out rich coloured fabrics out of the sack Glelb moved forward towards the other individuals who had arrived as well.

“So hunter Lotice you have your quarry. It is time to discuss the payment you promised for my help,” the slow dripping accent of the Hutt made chills run down Hans spin. He was brought back to when he was in stood in front of the Hutt discussing “payment” and that didn’t end well.

“the credits have been given to your subordinate,” the mercenary said bluntly nodding to the lad who had draped a deep red coat with fur trim over the female Hutt and was in the process of trying on some of the smaller coats that were also in the bag. He had a lime green coat with long billowing sleeves and a deep hood that flopped over his face when he tried to pull it on.

“I did NOT spend it on coats.” The lad said spinning round as the Hutt sent him a sceptical glance. Strangely to Hans he didn’t seem angry at the prospect of one of his men spending all the money he had earnt. “I acquired these in a poker game.” the kid said indignantly pointing at the Hutt. The fact that the sleeves hung passed his fingers drooping off the end of his arm and he was peeking out from under the hood didn’t make him look threatening at all. The female Hutt pulled out a navy blue coat with gold trimming. The golden buttons gleamed in the sunlight. She cooed at the lad and he turned and grinned at her. He had pulled down the scarf but kept the googles on. The scarf hung around his neck. Hans squinted at the lad he thought he saw a flash of silver under the scarf, It was hiding something. The kid shook the green coat off and turned to inspect the blue one. A new server appeared carrying a smaller glass full of the same drink the hutts where drinking. Hans was curious about the lad. He seemed at home in the company of the Hutt even going to far as to back talk him. He was racking his brain trying to translate “Mah Kanwon”. Leia had deflated next to him her breathing was shallow as she watched the bazar debriefing.

“then we have no further business hunter Lotice. You may go.” he turned and stated moving back towards the gazebo again. He paused and gestured towards the ship, “take that lump of space debris if you wish. Mah Kanwon has earnt a new ship.” The lad was now wearing the navy blue coat the female Hutt was cooing at him and brushing the wrinkles out of the shoulders as she admired him. He was giving himself a once over as well but when he heard Glelb he fist pumped and hissed a “heck yeah,” under his breath. The mercenary clicked her fingers and the meccanoid turned pulling the prisoner with it and stomped back into the ship. Glelb stated walking aging. The lad was watching the ship prep for take-off.

“She is going to rat you out to the first order,” he said pick something yellow and wobbly off a plate one of the servers had brought out. He inspected it before popping it into his mouth. The Hutt kept walking as the ship took off and began to rise into the atmosphere.

“And how have you fixed this Mah Kanwon?” the Hutt asked calmly,

“I disconnected the controller.” He said over a mouthful of the yellow stuff. The Hutt smiled as the rising ship began to sink back down through the smog of the lower planet. The Hutt smiled and moved into the shadow of the gazebo.

“Come Mah Kanwon, we need to talk.” The lad looked back round at the Hutt with a curios frown, he gave one last look towards the hole in the smog that the ship had made it was gradually closing like thick mud over a footprint. He spun round the blue coat flowing out behind him. He picked up the half empty sack as he passed it the green coat was half-heartedly stuffed back inside. The servers scurried after the two hutts paying no mind to the lad as he also disappeared into the gloom. The crowed that had been astonishingly quite while this meeting occurred when back to their quite conservations. Hans looked around at the assortment of creatures and was just about to voices one of the number of questions bouncing around in his head when a guard walked up behind both him and Leia.

“Mr Glelb wishes to speak with you, if you have a moment” the guards voice gave the impression that they did have a moment, in fact they had several and would be willing to use all of them on Mr Glelb if he so wished. They were led passed the other waiting people who gave them mixed looks, some of pity and some of annoyances that they were cutting the line. They entered the gazebo and as their eyes adjusted to the dark the interior was lavishes there was a large sofa as customary for the hutts it was covered in silk pillows and throws. The air was heavy with sweet smelling smoke a table held plates of fresh fruit and other bite sizes food. Glelb and his wife where facing the pair as they entered the Lad was lounging on one of the sofas off to the side. He had removed his goggles and scarf reviling a metal collar around his neck. The skin around the collar was angry and mead red lines around its edges marked where the kid had scratched at it. With the goggles gone, Hans realized how young he was. With all his talk and the way that he walked Hans could have sworn that the figure was in his mid-twenties not counting height. But as two deep brown eyes surveyed the area he knew that he wasn’t a day over sixteen. He looked up as they entered. He stood up quickly as Leia ran into him hugging him around the waist she came up to his shoulder now. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug knocking the voice out of him. Hans could hear Leia's muffled sobs against the kids coat; he locked eyes with the kid and took a step forward, it had been four years but he would know thous eyes anywhere.

“Ben?” he asked. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hutt Translator extraordinaire:
> 
> "Mah Kanwon" - My Child  
> "woy kaee naa? doth da mah bukee? doth goo bata?" - did someone call? is that my boy? is he back?  
> "chayanh che mi?" - presents for me?


End file.
